Lien Indissoluble
by Wildfire1980
Summary: Since the incident of the Tsiolkovsky Virus, Data and Tasha have been experiencing a breakdown in communication and teamwork. Alarmed, the Federation steps in to retrieve the lost camaraderie, but will the act toward reconciliation work?
1. Rectification

"_**Lien Indissoluble"**_

_**Chapter 1 ~ Rectification**_

_Rating: T but eventually M (Like always)_

_Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of TNG, I just like to take them off the shelf and play with them a bit in my mind, since the writers of Star Trek neglected one of its most compelling and promising couples. _

_Pairings: Data/Tasha_

_Summary: Since the incident of the Tsiolkovsky Virus, Data and Tasha have been experiencing a breakdown in communication and teamwork. Alarmed, the Federation steps in to retrieve the lost camaraderie, but will the act toward reconciliation work? _

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_**Unrequited love does not die; it's only beaten down to a secret place where it hides, curled and wounded. For some unfortunates, it turns bitter and mean, and those who come after pay the price for the hurt done by the one who came before. ~ Elle Newmark**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

The away team turned the corner, maneuvering the orphaned children through a corridor filled with the stench of sewage and cluttered trash. An abandoned building lied ahead, littered with broken glass and damaged bricks falling from its battered remains. They were no doors left upon its hinges, but the building's crippled wall's was the only refuge that offered any shelter from the pursuing renegades.

Data quickly began filing the children into the shattered construction as Doctor Crusher and Worf followed suit, keeping the children huddled down as Worf guarded the doorway. Being a mother herself, Beverly tried desperately to hover over as many children as she could, in a vain attempt to alleviate their fears.

Tasha paused, eyeing the oppressive structure, knowing that if they were cornered inside, it would be impossible to defend.

Her eyes locked with Data's. "I'm not going in there!"

"Lieutenant Yar, I do not have time to argue the pros and cons of my decision, you will do as I ask."

Tasha looked down at her tri-corder and then to the storm sewer cover that was sealed into the asphalt.

"They are a variety of tunnels below us, with your strength, you could easily remove the cover and we could get the children to a more secure location."

"The tunnels are lined with kelbonite. The ship's transporters will not be able to penetrate through the substance. We will be safer here." Data nodded toward the building. "Now, I need you to assist Dr. Crusher in beaming the children back to the _Enterprise_."

Tasha was appalled. "Sir, with all due respect, it would be best if I remain behind with Lieutenant Worf and yourself. After all, I am the Security Chief; it is my duty to keep every member of the away team safe."

Data snapped. "Your duty is to carry out my wishes as your superior officer, not to waste valuable time by arguing the significance of yours!"

Tasha stood stunned by his outburst, her mouth opening and then closing from the fleeting after-thought of rebuffing his orders.

Data looked past her, only to see one of the renegades hiding behind a wall, his head and arm protruding out as his phaser took aim at the rebellious Chief of Security.

Quickly, the Commander tackled her to the ground, shielding her body with his as the blast hit the side entrance of the building, barely missing Lieutenant Worf. The Klingon didn't hesitate in returning fire, hitting the rebel in the shoulder, knocking him back to the ground.

Fortunately, the two senior officers were hidden by a large dust of debris that encased itself around them, the smoke screening them from any further assaults. Data hurriedly pulled Tasha to her feet, shoving her body into the fractured structured, all the while sheltering her from the vast array of enemy fire that was recklessly commencing.

Dauntlessly, Worf continued to fire back. Once safely inside, Data reached down grabbing Tasha's hand as he motioned for Dr. Crusher to lead the children to the back of the building. Without any protests, Tasha wordlessly followed him, her eyes examining the burns in the back of his uniform where the phaser's had penetrated.

His touch wasn't soft or endearing, in fact, there wasn't any gentleness about his protective gesture. He roughly pulled her along, as if dragging an unwilling hostage to her cell, his demeanor holding an air of annoyance about it. And yet, she remained silent.

Within a matter of five minutes, the man had already saved her life twice; the least she could do is desist in her insubordination against him. The moment he was satisfied with their position, he recoiled his hand away in such a fury, that she thought he had been struck again by the insurgents. But the cold, indifferent look she received from him as he did so, quieted her fears.

"You will contact the_ Enterprise_, report the status of our position and beam back to the ship. Do you understand, Lieutenant?!"

He wasn't really asking her opinion as much as he was demanding her obedience. She would have never thought it possible, for months she tried to wager a response from him by disobeying his every request. She would even go as far as to question his orders in front of other members of the crew, her actions, although not vocal, was nothing short of calling his ability to lead into question. But never once had he faltered in his patience toward her – until now!

Data had clearly had enough of being the brunt of her unwarranted tantrums. So reluctantly, she complied too his former wishes, despite her desire to stay behind.

As she conveyed their position, the last thing she saw as the blue beams surrounded them was Data's face set in a mixture of determination and anger, as he returned fire. As hard as she tried, she couldn't understand his decision. It would have been much more logical for her to remain behind and help in the battle. A fight that was completely and utterly unfair in its numbers.

Seventeen against two is no match for anyone, no matter how intense their training. At least the odds would have been more in their favor if she had been allowed to stay. She hated running out on a fight, much less being forced to leave one. And it was the latter that made her resent him all the more.

Besides, she had more experience in this type of situation than anyone among the senior crew. She could relate to a planet that had fallen prey to civil wars and men so caught up in combat that they neglected the needs of their own children, leaving them to fend for themselves. Just like the orphans they had just rescued, she too was a product of that type of environment. She grew up as a victim of brutality and terrorism.

As she took her position back on the bridge, she had already decided that the android would undoubtedly get a piece of her mind when he returned… _'If he returned'_ she thought melancholy. Dammit, if he had just let her stay, then she wouldn't be left here worrying about his and Worf's whereabouts, not to mention the evil eye she was catching from Captain Picard.

There was no way that Picard could have already been informed of her insubordination, but she was certain that since things went south, he suspected her newfound rebellious nature against the Commander had something to do with it.

And the Captain wasn't oblivious to the timing of it either. There had been many of times that he had asked her during one of her many sessions of being reprimanded, if anything had taken place between her and the android in question during that fateful day. She didn't have to inquire about the Captain's insinuation; all she had to do was think about those two words that would forever be associated with her and Data – _Tsiolkovsky Virus._

She hated what those words represented. It was a memory associated with a sickening vulnerability, not to mention the denial of what was, without question, the most blissful union she had ever experienced. And then, the worst symbolism of it all, the despairing admission that it would never be reciprocated, at least to her liking.

Her declination to what had happened that day had become a diehard custom, a practiced religion. And she would rather be damned than ever succumb to it again. It was pointless, nothing more than the act of a desperate woman who was glutton for punishment, to pretend that a phlegmatic android could ever return that kind of attachment. _But God_, the man made love as if the potential to do so had not been properly commissioned yet.

Finally, the chirping of the Captain's communicator sounded off and Tasha let out a deep breath that she didn't even know she had been holding, as Data's amiable voice filled the bridge.

"The situation has been contained, Sir…Two to beam back to the _Enterprise_."

_**-x-x-x-x- **_

Data and Worf's arrival was a little over two hours ago and the android still refused to look in her direction.

The moment he occupied the bridge, Captain Picard and Riker had ushered Worf and Data into the ready room. Tasha watched the door anxiously, noting that fifteen minutes had passed when Worf exited the room alone, taking his position beside her at tactical, neither one speaking.

Another fifteen minutes had lapped by when the man predominantly on her mind, returned to the bridge, still refusing to acknowledge the existence of her intense gaze fixed upon him. She watched as he took his position in the Captain's chair, a sure sign that it would be a long time before Picard and Riker returned to the bridge.

Slowly, a mounting rise of panic began to stir within her being. The length of the officer's meeting; the absence of the Captain upon the bridge did not look good for her at all. No doubt that pesky butt kisser had relayed her behavior on the planet to Picard and now, the Captain and Riker were mulling over the most effective course of punishment.

The longer she stared at the back of his head, the more irritated and annoyed she became. She couldn't help but to despise the man. Why is it, that out of all the men in the universe, it would be an android that had uncovered the secrets to pissing her off?

It wasn't long before she realized two hours had passed, the ship was moving and the man she continued to shoot daggers at, still acted as if her attendance was null and void to him. She would love nothing more than to smack that indifference out of his ass, but she knew it was only an impossible feat for any woman. Sadly, he wouldn't even suffer any ill-effects from the act of violence.

Her attention was briefly broken, as the tactical station alerted her of scattered debris that lied ahead of the ship; she placed in a correction course and looked back toward the Captain's chair, only to find Data gone.

A quick hand upon her arm roughly pulled her off to the side and into the conference room. As soon as the doors closed, the android began his lecture.

"When you enter the Captain's ready room…" His eyes bore into her, daring her to defy him. "Do not argue with him. I want you to nod politely and comply too his wishes."

He turned to walk off, but then paused just short of the doors, staring at the ground for a moment. Tasha thought that she had heard him sigh audibly, but later chalked it up as her imagination. Besides, androids don't sigh in frustration or defeat.

Data turned to look at her once more, his eyes softer in their approach, almost apologetic.

"I want you to bear in mind that his orders come from Starfleet and not from him."

Haughtily, she placed her hands upon her hips, clearly agitated. "What did you do…Send me up the river?"

The android looked puzzled, his eyes darting from side to side, trying to access any prior action from his memory banks.

"I do not recall ordering you up any river?"

Tasha rolled her eyes, for the man to be capable of running sixty trillion diagnostics at once; he could be so obtuse at times.

"I meant did you report me?"

She watched in amazement as his eyes began to stare out the bay windows behind her, taking on a more somber look, as if her accusation had hurt him somehow. But then again, his ability to portray emotions was only a torturous illusion to her mind.

"No" He refused to look at her. "…Lieutenant Worf and Dr. Crusher found your behavior unsatisfactory."

"And you didn't?"

Suddenly, his eyes met hers. The desperation they held within them completely stole her breath away. A moment of silence passed between them, his eyes silently relaying a message that only they could invoke. Almost as if, he was asking something of her; whether it was forgiveness or understanding she couldn't tell.

And for a fleeting second, she wondered if he was silently pleading with her to understand why that night happened and to forgive him for not possessing the fortitude to walk away. But if that was the case, then he knew her far better than she originally had given him credit for. The thought alone was a little disconcerting, especially since he might possibly be the only other soul on board the ship privy to the reasons behind her sudden rebellious nature.

"You should be pleased to learn that I will share the same fate as you."

And with that, he turned and left, leaving her in the darkened room, its only light coming from the passing backdrop of stars filtering through the bay windows. A few seconds later and her comm badge chirped and Picard's voice was requesting her presence in his ready room.

She walked out, immediately noticing that Riker was in the Captain's chair and Data was back at his original station. Once again, he refused to look at her as she entered the ready room.

Picard looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable as he motioned for her to sit down across from him.

Quietly, he took a sip of his tea, allowing the growing silence to unsettle her.

The Captain cleared his throat, his eyes unwavering.

"Have you ever heard of the survival courses issued out by Starfleet on Delta Vega?"

She tried desperately to suppress her shock, but her visage clearly betrayed her.

"Yes, but that is only reserved for officers who are unable to maintain a mutual work ethic between one another. It is the Federation's belief that if you place two officers in extreme and peril conditions, an unbreakable bond will be formed between the two. "

"Exactly…The Federation has made a proposal that you and Commander Data undergo the program together."

"But, Sir, don't you think that's a little drastic for a minor dispute such as this? I mean the Federation only uses that hellhole for a last resort."

"Natasha, please don't try to minimize the importance of the situation. For months I have witnessed you willingly defy Commander Data, question his orders publicly, beg to be removed from away missions led solely by him." He paused a moment, raising his eyes at the mounting evidence. "Now I have tried my best to reprimand you, to infuse some type of normalcy back into the relationship between you and Mr. Data, only to no avail." He raised his hands in defeat. "I'm afraid I have no other options left."

"Okay, I get it. I'll try harder…" Tasha began desperately flailing her hands around; completely oblivious to how ridiculous she looked. "I realize that my conduct has been unbecoming of a Starfleet Officer, but just give me a chance to rectify the situation."

Picard pulled the front of his uniform down before standing.

"I have…several times, but you have refused to cooperate thus far." He leaned over his desk, almost whispering the sentiment. "Now I don't want to lose neither one of you, I respect you both and you have proven yourselves valuable to this ship time and time again. But I have to warn you, there are already talks among the Council of reassignment. Hell, I have Captain's already putting in their bids for you two."

Tasha remained silent, still reeling from the shock of her fate.

"We will arrive to our destination at ten hundred hours. Where you two will beam down and begin the required week course."

Finally, she was able to find her voice.

"A week?" Tasha protested. "But Sir, I am due to compete in a Martial Arts competition in three days. I can't be gone a week on some survival course."

Picard stared at her and suddenly, she found his gaze disheartening.

"You are going to Delta Vega, along with Commander Data, do I make myself clear?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Yes, Sir."

"In the meantime, you will just have to drop out of the competition. I'm sure there will be plenty of others to follow."

Tasha briskly brushed her bangs out her face; it was obvious to any man that she was frustrated with the Council's request.

"What about the _Enterprise_, Sir?"

Picard sighed audibly. "We have received orders to the Zed Lapis Sector where we will rendezvous with Shuttlecraft Thirteen to retrieve Counselor Troi and Lieutenant Ben Prieto."

"Aren't they returning from a conference?"

"Yes, they are…It should be a simple mission. If all goes well and nothing drastic happens, the _Enterprise_ will be back by the end of the week."

He began walking her to the doors, as he lightly placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Where I hope to find you and Mr. Data on better terms."

Tasha tried to fake a smile, but it failed to reach her eyes, losing its sentiment.

As she exited, she spotted Worf at Tactical, this time she didn't even bother to notice Data giving her a side long glance as she passed by.

She walked over to the Klingon, agitation filling her body language.

"I can't believe you sold me out." She whispered.

Worf didn't even bother looking at her, but only continued to stare at the view screen as he answered her.

"I found your conduct lacking honor. It was not the actions of a warrior." He stated vehemently.

"Oh really, is that why you bet on me in the martial arts competition?"

Worf looked at her uncomfortably; as if she had discovered a secret she was not privy too.

"How did yo – "

Tasha held a hand up, quickly cutting him off.

"Officer Swenson told me about the ship's pool that was going around and how I was the most favored among the competitors. He also told me that the pool was started by you." She gave him a pointed look. "That's a pretty contradictory action from a Klingon who just accused me of being un-warrior like."

Worf ignored the latter of her comment. "It was a valid assumption; you are clearly far superior in your defensive tactics than all the other competitors. You are a born Bosh to-KA achee."

He looked down to see her confused features over his Klingon language. She didn't know if he was cussing or praising her.

"That is a Soldier of the Empire."

Tasha smiled at the comment.

"Well, you might want to cancel your bet."

It was his turn to look bewildered.

"The Federation is forcing Commander Data and me to undertake the survival courses on Delta Vega."

Worf nodded. "You will easily conquer the environment."

She turned to Worf and smiled. "I think I owe you an apology for my actions this morning. You're right; my conduct didn't hold any honor to it."

Worf was, as always, brutally honest, his voice deep and utterly convincing.

"No, it did not."

Tasha looked down, almost ashamed.

And then, he added.

"You still fight like a warrior." He announced proudly.

A soft lull fell between them as the Klingon was debating on relaying the rest of his comment. It didn't take him long to decide.

"You just seem to forget the honor and respect it requires to conduct yourself as one when Commander Data is around." He whispered.

Tasha refused to reply, her mind now dwelling on the truism of Worf's words and suddenly hating her inability to rightly govern her actions whenever the man in question ever came near. She had no idea how in the hell she was going to survive a week alone with him on a barren, uninhabited frozen planet. She guessed only time would tell if rectification was even possible between the two.

_**-x-x-x-x- **_

_**Author's Notes: I know I've been MIA for a while, but I promise it has been for a good reason. I plan on starting new chapters for some of my other stories, but this one refused to remain silent. So before I could move on to the others, I had to write this one first. **_

_**For those of you keeping an eye out – I plan on updating What a Tangled Web We Weave and Parallels. And some of the others which are in dire need of an update (And for you P/C fans, yes Deja Vu will be among them). Thanks for reading and if you like the progression and the idea please review!**_


	2. Bitterness Only Imprisions the Heart

"_**Lien Indissoluble"**_

_**Chapter 2 – "Bitterness Only Imprisons the Heart"**_

_**Summary: Data and Tasha begin their journey on Delta Vega, only to find the conditions more hazardous than initially expected which only causes more arguments to ensue.**_

_**Pairings: Data/Tasha**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_**I long for you in a manner that you'll never know. I need you in a manner that you'll never do. I miss you in a manner that you'll never feel. I love you in a manner that you never will. ~Anonymous**_

_**The hottest love has the coldest end. ~ Socrates**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

Tasha was the first one to arrive to the transporter room. She found it odd that Data wasn't already there waiting. A few minutes later, the android walked in, followed by three of the orphaned children that they had rescued the day before.

He was dressed similar to her. A fur, navy blue collar down deck parka jacket with black chockstone insulated pants, which were tucked into his black thermal mountain boots, completed with cleats and ice grippers.

Tasha noted how well prepared he seemed for the weather, not to mention how good he looked in his chosen attire. No doubt he had spent hours of vast research on the conditions of the planet and how to better prepare oneself for it. He was always over packed, stating that it was better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Finally, she realized that Data was not going to acknowledge her presence. So feeling slighted, she angrily tore her eyes from him, placing her attention on the children instead. The boy, who appeared to be the leader, seemed to be the sole caretaker of the rest of the children. His independence at such a young age reminded her of herself, as she too was forced to take care of her baby sister, Ishara, at such a young age.

She watched silently from behind, waiting patiently on the transporter pad as Data placed his satchel on the ground. Slowly, he knelt down to speak to the boy, the gesture placing their faces on an even level. Tasha couldn't help but to be fascinated by the fact that the orphans weren't even frightened by him, as most children they often encountered were.

"You were very brave yesterday, Deval."

The brown hair, blue eyed boy of what, Tasha estimated to be about ten years old, smiled broadly from the Commander's praise.

"Thank you, Sir."

The boy's two younger siblings stood behind him, completely fixated on Data's face and Tasha couldn't help but to smile, as she realized that the two girls were obviously forming a crush on the man that had rescued them.

Sheepishly, Deval looked down, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some unknown item. A small, chrome rectangular object appeared in his hand, with a message engraved into its surface.

"I would like for you to have this, Commander."

Data reached out and grabbed the relic that Tasha immediately recognized as an ancient Zippo lighter from Earth. The Commander smiled awkwardly, as only he knew how, considering he could not really be touched by the gesture. But then again, was he?

She was enraptured by the scene before her as Data held the gift up, examining it with a pleased expression upon his face. Intrigued, he read the inscription out loud to himself.

'_Who could refrain, _

_That had a heart to love, and in that heart_

_Courage to make that love known?'_

_~William Shakespeare _

"It's from Macbeth." The boy added.

Once again, Data smirked. "Yes, I am very fond of the play…and Shakespeare as well."

Now that was a hidden little tidbit about himself that even she didn't know. How could a man so dispassionate, be a fan of Earth's most passionate poet? That question alone was an enigma in itself, much like the man before her.

Data held the object up, clearly pleased. "Thank you."

Deval nodded as his face lit up from Data's praise. It was clear to Tasha that the two had formed a bond.

And then the idea struck her, he would make a really good father one day. He embodied all the traits of a promising parent.

Inwardly, she berated herself for the bizarre thought; it was an unfathomable paradox, considering his detached, emotional state. But then, she was struck at how similar Deval looked like Data. In fact, she imagined if fate had given the android a natural birth, the android would have been a doppelganger for Deval as a child, a simple truth that compelled her to keep entertaining the thought of him as a father.

"You will take care of your siblings while I am gone?"

Data was mainly stating the obvious, not asking Deval to comply with a duty that he had already courageously taken upon himself.

"Remember what I said."

The boy smiled, looking up toward the ceiling as he recalled the android's advice, eerily sounding just like him.

"The only proper course of action is to protect those that are special to us at all cost."

It was in that moment that Data had decided to concede to her presence, as his eyes drifted over to hers, holding her gaze momentarily, before turning back toward Deval.

The quick interaction literally stole her breath away, no matter how brief or guarded it was.

"That is correct." Data acquiesced, as he placed the lighter in one of his many pockets sewn into his jacket.

Quickly, the boy closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms tightly around Data's neck. And to Tasha's surprise, Data easily melted into the embrace without any semblance of ineptness.

When the hug ended, Data stood back to his feet, ruffling the boy's hair before walking toward the transporter pad, only to be stopped by two twin seven year old girl's holding their arms up high in the air, beckoning the android to bequeath the same affection to them before leaving.

Without hesitating, Data scooped the two little girls up, as they two wrapped their arms around him, nestling their heads into his neck as he held them tightly. A few seconds later, Data set them down, their farewell's matched with equal coyness in their little voices.

"Goodbye, Commander Data."

With their goodbyes said, the three children turned to leave. Data picked up his bag and placed it over his shoulder as he began climbing the steps to the transporter pad, refusing to look at the Chief of Security.

She gave him a side-long glance as she whispered the obvious.

"I think those two girls have the hot's for you, Commander."

Data turned to look at her, but remained silent, with a blank expression upon his face.

Within seconds she realized he was trying to interpret her meaning, so she saved him the trouble by clarifying it for him.

"They like you, Data." Her explanation was sharp and it came out a little more hateful than she intended.

Outwardly, Tasha couldn't help but to wince from the folly.

When she opened her eyes, Data was staring at her, almost transfixed, as if he was trying to decipher the very secrets of her own heart.

Apparently, he either failed or disapproved of what he found because his only response was a reproved narrowing of his eyes. The tension was broken by the doors swooshing open, as Captain Picard entered the room; his pace fast and urgent.

"Mr. Data, I am sorry to inform you, but we must beam you two down immediately. The Enterprise has just lost contact with Shuttlecraft Thirteen during a distress call."

Alarmed, Tasha asked the obvious. "What kind of distress, Sir?"

"Lieutenant Prieto began experiencing an engine malfunction, we were able to track the shuttlecraft well into Vagra II's atmosphere, where it became trapped in the planet's gravitational pull and crashed. I'm afraid the Enterprise must leave immediately."

"Perhaps it would be better if the survival courses were postponed, Sir. So that Commander Data and I could assist the away team in its search for survivors. Besides, this should take precedence over some forced rectification by the Council." Tasha offered.

"I'm afraid you can't get out of it that easily, Lieutenant." The Captain paused and then added. "Stay safe."

And just as quickly as he entered, he looked over to O'Brian at the transporter console.

"Energize."

Within seconds the two were surrounded by nothing but a white glacial atmosphere. Its terrain was an equal amount of valleys and mountains. The very sight of it would be overwhelming to anyone. Delta Vega obviously had a very severe and punishing force of nature.

"We need to put the rest of our gear on." Data shouted above the winds, his hand outstretched in a vain attempt to stop the particles of ice and snow from peppering his face.

Hastily, the two pulled out the rest of their gear, putting their gloves on, along with an air shield cap, placing the fur hoodie of their jackets over it for further protection.

When they finished, Data pulled out his tricorder and began walking forward. He didn't even bother informing her to follow him.

Annoyed with his indifference, Tasha hollered the question to his receding form.

"You ever heard of communication?!"

He ignored her outburst, which only pissed her off all the more. She stared at him in disbelief for a second and then took off running to catch up to him.

When she reached him, she snapped again. "You know, I may not have all the answers. I mean hell; I'm just the Chief of Security and not some fancy Commander such as yourself" She paused a second to catch her breath. "…but have you ever considered the possibility that if we're going to survive this dilemma, we might want to learn how to talk to one another?"

Data stopped suddenly, turning his entire body to face her, his eyes regarding her coldly. She found the very act disheartening.

"I reached that conclusion six months ago, Lieutenant, the very moment this little charade of yours began." His nostrils flared and his jaw set firmly. "But I am afraid that you will have to overlook my ignorance; I was merely under the impression that you were the only one tarrying in that area of deduction. Is it safe for me to assume that I was wrong or do you wish for me to allow you the pleasure of informing me of it yourself?"

'_Oh my god, did he just become a smart ass overnight' _Tasha thought._ 'And he better not think that she didn't notice his little underlining pun toward the_ _Tsiolkovsky virus. She knows damn well what happened six months ago; the memory of their union haunted her every night.'_

"Oh I see" Tasha repugnantly looked him up and down. "…That's cute." She placed her hands menacingly on her hips, as her eyes defiantly continued to hold his. "_That's real cute, Commander!_ I see that your studies into the many variations of human nature are starting to pay off."

Data's eyebrows shot up, his forehead creasing in bewilderment.

Tasha was all too happy to explain. "I've noticed that the countless facets of human emotions seem to leave you mystified, but you sure as hell got sarcasm down. Should I applaud your triumph now or later?"

"Is that what you think this is" He glared at her. "…a conquest?"

She wasn't sure, but she could have sworn that his voice cracked. _'Was that even possible for an android?'_ she wondered.

Tasha took a step back to better gage his response.

"I have no clue as to _what _you are referring too."

His eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"You know exactly what I am alluding too, Lieutenant!"

She didn't like where this argument was heading and decided to end it abruptly by walking away, until she heard his sharp voice penetrating her ears.

"You are going in the wrong direction!"

Tasha paused and turned to face him once more.

He merely pointed west.

She couldn't resist the urge to roll her eyes, as she quickly began walking in that direction, hoping to place some distance between them. But Data effortlessly caught up to her, easily matching her pace.

"I hope my efforts at communication met your approval?"

Tasha wanted so badly to tell him what he could do with that pointed finger he had just used to direct her. But instead, she refused to answer and continued walking, as a prolonged silence settled between them, giving the rising tension time to mollify.

An hour and half had passed between them before Tasha had realized that in her angered state, she had neglected to ask him where they were going. With that thought in mind, she ventured a quick look in his direction, trying to assess his mood. To her dismay, he seemed as passive as ever, almost as if their previous argument had never even taken place.

"May I ask where we are going or is that knowledge only privy to you, Commander?"

Tasha hated the way she literally could not speak to him without being combative.

"We are seeking shelter." His answer was short and sweet, until he added. "Unless you wish to insert your opinion on the matter now, therefore causing us valuable time. Although, I must warn you that I have become immune to your consistent efforts to undermine me" Data stalled in order to look at her. "…I cannot promise you the desired reaction you are endeavoring to produce."

His voice was laced with complacency and her eyes fell from the brutality that his candid remark delivered.

But she quickly recovered.

"For once I think we agree on something, but let me assure you of one thing, Commander." She closed the small distance between them, leaning in dangerously close to his face. "I desire _nothing_ from you."

Data disregarded the insult. And soon after, his eyes began examining the contours of her face, as if burning every angle, every crease into his memory, much like he did that night of the Tsiolkovsky incident.

And then, his gaze drifted down to her lips, as a tiny flicker of what she thought was desire shown within its depths. She wasn't certain if he was running some experimental program on her, but whatever it was – his ability to arouse such an intimate connection between them was enough to render her into submission.

The Chief of Security prayed that the swirling blizzard and its howling winds would hide her reaction from his keen observation.

But here she stood, paralyzed and helplessly entranced, waiting desperately as she anticipated his next move with bated breath. As every secured wall she had ever erected around her heart since him, came crashing down.

And then Tasha saw the facial gesture, despite his swift efforts in subduing it. It was a minute, small, semi-twitching at the right corner of his lip, almost as if he was going to smirk but chose against it.

Tasha couldn't believe it, that smug bastard knew she wanted him to kiss her. He was merely proving her last comment to be a falsehood, placing her vehement rejections of him on a one man trial and jury.

And she didn't have to ask what the verdict was, as his eyes moved to hers once more, he nodded silently. Satisfied with his answer, Data once again turned and resumed walking, successfully abstaining from looking back.

Woefully, Tasha followed, this time succeeding in distancing herself from him, preferring her despondent thoughts to his company.

During her trek, despite the harsh visibility, she could still see him slowing in his walk from time to time to venture a look behind him, only to assure himself that she was there.

Sadly, she knew the act was only because he felt responsible for her as her commanding officer. No matter how conflicting their relationship was, it was still his duty to ensure her safety.

Tasha wrapped her arms securely around her torso, trying to suppress what little body heat she had left, as a long, frigid two hours passed. Suddenly, she saw Data stop and begin looking toward the ground and then back to his tricorder.

With a few taps on the device, his head would do a quick sweep over their environment, only to land back onto the tricorder once again. He was obviously perplexed by his findings.

When she reached him, he was still tapping through his readings, not even greeting her presence with an acknowledgement.

The snub had wounded her, but still she offered assistance.

"Can I help?" Her voice was pensive and weak.

It was the tone of her articulation that caused his hand to cease its movement. For a moment, the android just stood there, frozen in place, his eyes still glued to the instrument in his hand, until he finally raised his eyes to hers, searching.

Tasha wasn't quite sure what he was examining her for, but whatever it was, he must have found it, as he slowly placed the tri-corder to his side and stood up a little straighter, his eyes, if possible, taking on a more contrite look.

"I do not wish to argue with you any longer – "

"Neither do I…"

Data held his hand up, stopping all her protest…or in this case, agreements.

"But what I do wish to do…" He paused, his eyes once again venturing down to her lips.

Suddenly, the ice below him gave way, as Data was swept below with it.

Startled by the rapid action, Tasha screamed his name as she looked down at the gaping hole he had just fallen through.

"Data!"

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_**Author's Notes: Just a quick update. I'm in a huge hurry for work, so if you guys run across any errors, please overlook them. I plan on going over it a little better tonight when I get off and correcting everything. I just mainly wanted to get an update in for you guys.**_


	3. Defiance

"_**Lien Indissoluble"**_

_**Chapter 3 – Defiance**_

_**You can close your eyes to the things you do not want to see, but you cannot close your heart to the things you do not want to feel. ~ Johnny Depp**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

Tasha's heart had fallen with him, as she desperately moved toward the gaping hole, completely impervious to the possibility that the disbanding ice could deliver her the same fate.

She laid flat on her belly, securing her hands on both sides of the cavity, as she broke away the rest of the feeble debris around its edges, still shouting the Commander's name.

"Data?!"

Once she considered the fragile area safe, she scanned the black, grim abyss that the android had fallen into. Tasha's heart began beating faster, as she failed in locating his presence. The Chief of Security began to panic, as her vision was limited, the darkness completely concealing his form from view.

"Data?!" She paused. "Answer me!"

Still there was nothing.

Quickly, she reached down to her bag, her hands shaking in the process as she sought desperately for a flashlight and some rope. Finally, she retrieved them, scanning about the area for a secure place that she could anchor down from. But the planet and its unforgiving nature would not extend the break that she needed to retrieve the Commander. There was absolutely nowhere to secure the rope too.

Frustrated, she tossed the rope aside, making some nonsensical sound under her breath, accompanied with some very exploitative cuss words. Tasha looked back down to the hole, turned on her flashlight as she maneuvered her body once again to safely peer down into it. She placed her hand into the cavity, lighting its bleakness as she searched frantically for Data.

Only to be met with the top of his head, startled, she jumped back, dropping her flashlight in the process, as another cuss word fell from her lips.

As the realization hit her, she quickly dug her heels back into the snow, as she hastily made her way back to him. Data's icepick was dug fiercely into the ice on top of the cavity; Tasha could clearly see his alabaster hand gripping it tightly, as she desperately reached down for it.

The rising ache in Tasha's chest was relieved the moment she touched his hand. Whether it was out of some vain effort to either assuage him or her, she wasn't sure.

Instantly, she procured her hands under his arms as she dug the metal cleats of her boots into the ice, leveraging them. She strained to pull him out, although she knew that despite her aid, he was mainly doing most of the work. But still, she had to at least help, no matter how irrelevant her assistance may have seemed at the time.

With one last pull, he landed safely onto the arctic surface. Abruptly, Tasha was beside him as her hands began turning his face from one side to the other, gently scanning over his body for any signs of damage that it might have sustained during the fall.

And to her surprise, Data remained motionless, allowing her tender ministrations.

Once satisfied with her results, without thinking, she threw her arms around him, completely enveloping him.

He remained stationary for a moment, completely unsure of what to do. And then, he awkwardly placed one arm around her, softly patting her back as if she were a distressed child.

"I thought I had lost you!" She whispered definitively into his chest.

"There was a landing approximately thirty-three meters down. Fortunately for me, it broke my fall."

A moment passed between them, until Tasha pushed herself back, with her hands still firmly planted on his chest, the action still pinning him to the freezing, hard ground.

Her visage was filled with confusion, along with a mixture of pure anger.

"Why didn't you answer me?" Tasha shouted. "Next time, you answer me – Geezus!"

"Forgive me; I was exerting too much effort into climbing out of the abyss I had fallen into. But, I assure you, that upon the next one I encounter, I shall endeavor to converse with you during my whole climb."

She stared at him, unsure if he was being sarcastic or sincere.

But his last statement confirmed which one the android was attempting.

"After all, you are right, our attempts at communicating are far more important" His voice rose slightly, emphasizing his last two words "…than me focusing on not falling to _my death!" _

Data glared at her coldly, before maneuvering himself out from under her. As he stood, he refused to look at her. Instead, he busied himself with dusting the snow off of his clothing, re-instating his meticulous appearance.

If she wasn't so shocked by his outburst, she might have found his annoyance to the situation hilarious, considering his remarkable ability to continue in an infinite state of placidness.

She watched silently as he knelt down, removing his satchel from his back and began picking up his ice picks and placing them inside the bag, before standing back upright.

Tasha realized that his bag had remained fastened to his back during the fall. In her withdrawn state, she noted that it must have softened his landing. She was so introverted, that she didn't even notice Data's shadow towering over her.

It wasn't until an alabaster hand had reached out, almost practically imposing itself in front of her face; before she realized that he was still standing there.

Tasha's vanity wanted to reject his offer. Unfortunately, her pride was too wounded for that.

Hesitantly, she placed her hand into his, but he didn't make any gesture toward assisting her. Instead, he knelt down once again, his eyes piercing hers. And to her amazement, his hand left hers.

She watched in slow motion as he cupped the side of her face, his index finger lightly tracing her cheek all the way down to her chin. His head tilted to the side, fixated, as his finger lingered upon her skin.

The hue of his amber eyes began to lighten, as he was trying desperately to convey something to her. It was clear to Tasha that he was struggling, lacking the ability or the emotion to deliver the human response she required for a moment such as this.

So he opted for what he only knew best – words!

"I am aware of a moment taking place zero point six seconds before I fell."

Tasha remained silent, as her brow arched in question.

"I recall stating that I desired to do something."

Still, she refused to speak, as she too tilted her head to the side, mimicking his recent action.

Data had her complete attention.

"I wish to apologize"

Her mouth opened to respond…and then closed due to his intense focus upon her.

"…For everything." He added softly, as his hand dropped to his side.

She didn't have to ask what _'everything'_ represented to him – she already knew. His apology was not limited to this moment in time or the entire week, but it extended all the way back to a night that took place six months ago.

The android attempted an unpolished smile before rising once again. And for a second time, he offered his hand to her.

Tasha gladly took it as he easily pulled her to her feet. They paused a moment, staring at one another, their bodies a little too close for comfort.

"I'm sorry too" She literally exhaled the words, as they came flooding out of her "…For everything!"

She wanted to embrace him, as some sort of collateral to her apologies, but she refrained. Only to be impressed by how accurately his arms had enveloped her, holding her with just the right amount of pressure and consolation.

Tasha snuggled her head into his chest, giving in to the urge to close her eyes, as she continued to relish what little contact he was bestowing upon her.

"Data?"

She could feel his head turn inwardly, as his chin slightly touched the side of her forehead. It was a silent gesture, one that was beckoning her to continue.

"What are thinking right now?"

"In this particular moment, I was running different scenarios in which the away team would be successful in extracting survivors from the surface of Vagra II. Analyzing the planet's hazardous environment and its effect upon you, calculating the distance from our current position to the cave we will take shelter in."

Tasha sighed audibly, clearly disappointed.

Data immediately ceased in his ramblings, trying to uncover something in his studies of human behavior that would please her. He failed, or so he thought.

"But predominantly, I am reconfiguring the proper length of time that I am allotted in holding you. I do not wish to, _'as you humans say'_ over stay my welcome."

With that said, she leaned back, a small smile plastered upon her face as she gazed up at him.

"How long would you hold me?" she asked coquettishly.

"For the approximate time you desired."

"So if I asked you not to stop, then…"

"Then I would continue, although, it would be my duty to advise you against such a request considering our current predicament. Eventually, you would ultimately expire from the frozen conditions of this planet."

"You know all the right things to say to a woman, don't you?" She teased.

"My recommendation for us to continue forward would strictly be for your best interest."

"I'm sure it would."

Data paused. "Should I desist in our embrace?"

Reluctantly, she nodded.

Immediately, he dropped his arms in a way that was entirely too artificial for Tasha's liking.

Data turned to walk away, but paused when she failed to follow. He turned to face her, despite her remarkable efforts in hiding it; his perceptive insight was still able to decipher her somber demeanor.

He looked down at her, trying to make eye contact, but she refused to meet his inquiring gaze.

"Did I do something wrong? Perhaps I applied too much pressure during our – "

"No!" She interrupted him. "It was fine, Data." She forced a semi-grin. "You didn't do anything wrong."

He nodded and succumbed to walking, only to halt his steps once more as he faced her again.

"Are you certain?"

Tasha clearly had not convinced him.

This time, she was able to master the gesture, despite the rejection she felt inside.

Bravely, she looked up at him and smiled broadly. "Positive…Now we need to get going if we plan on finding shelter before the sun sets."

"Agreed." Sheepishly, he gestured toward her backpack. "May I borrow your tricorder? I lost mine during my fall."

Tasha smirked, as she retrieved the handheld device from her backpack, gladly handing it over to him. Immediately, he began scanning the area, once again calculating their distance from the cavern he had discovered earlier.

"According to my calculations, we are approximately nine hundred and thirty-six yards from our destination."

Data noted the deadpanned expression upon the Chief of Security's face.

"We are a little over two miles from our objective." He offered more clearly.

She silently nodded, as together they resumed walking.

Tasha couldn't help but notice how the snowfall had lessened dramatically; making their trek a little easier, considering the harsh downpour that was taking place earlier.

And as if on cue, Data commented on that very matter.

"We are experiencing a loss in cold air, resulting in a decrease of wind chill and snowfall. But if my estimations are correct, it will be returning before nightfall." He paused, tapping the keys on the scanner. "The likelihood of a white out is possible."

"So you're basically saying that we need to pick our pace up?"

Data nodded.

"How long do we have before the sun begins to set?"

"Three hours, twenty-two minutes, forty-five seconds, zero point three millisec–"

Tasha held her hand up, interrupting his countdown.

"I get the picture, Data."

She smiled, as he mumbled an apology before continuing on their journey.

Half an hour later, they were safely inside the cave, using their flashlights to look around. It was huge and seemed largely unexplored. The opening was an arctic arch that was perfectly carved out in ice. Its roof had a mass of ice crystals hanging from above, but as Tasha was able to follow deeper into the cave, she could visibly see how its ceiling slowly took on a turquoise effect, as an aqua blue stream, lightly trickled to the back of the cavern.

Data nodded toward the fresh water. "I suggest we follow it and see where it leads."

"Do you think that's wise?"

He gave her a pointed look and she could tell that he was mentally preparing himself, just in case she had decided to revert back to her rebellious nature.

For a moment, the android looked down and closed his eyes. Tasha was fascinated by his reaction. Despite his durable physique, he looked tired, if that was even possible for an artificial life form.

"What do you suggest?"

His amiable voice startled her. She expected to be reprimanded, but instead, he welcomed her input.

"I just think that it would be safer if we stayed closer to the entrance." She shrugged her shoulders in concern. "I'm afraid that if we go exploring too far into the cave that we won't be able to find our way back."

Data met her eyes with a soft smile. This one didn't seem to be forced or simulated by some artificial program – it held a genuine level of understanding.

"Then you stay here and I will go."

He turned to walk away, but she followed after him.

"What about camp? Don't you think we need to get a fire started before we run out of daylight?"

"That is precisely what I am doing….But in order to retrieve the elements needed to ignite a fire; I must travel further into the cave."

"I'll go with you then."

Data's forehead creased in confusion.

"As much I don't like the idea of exploring this cave…" She paused and looked at him. "I don't like the idea of you doing it alone even more so."

Tasha continued walking, a little embarrassed by the revelation. But the depth of its virtue was nothing compared to what was about to be revealed.

The android quickly caught up to her pace, moving hastily past her, only to abruptly block her path. She was able to stop her fast paced steps just short of running into him. Annoyed, she shot him a disdained look and threw her hands out in a _'what the hell'_ manner.

"What if" He paused "…I do not wish for you to accompany me?"

"Then I'm afraid you would have to explain to me why?"

"Perhaps I favor the idea of you remaining behind as opposed to you following me into the unknown."

Tasha placed her hands upon her hips. "Once again, Data, you will have to explain why?!"

He could easily detect the irritation in her voice.

"Because the cavern has not been mapped out, it is very improbable for anyone, let alone me to venture a guess as to what lies ahead. I am uncertain as to how sturdy the compacted ice above us is, I cannot discern where the stream leads too, the cave could hold some impossible climbs or surprising drop offs, and the further back we trek, the less visibility we will have."

She placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Data, you're freaking out on me."

His eyes immediately began scanning from side to side, trying to ascertain her meaning. It didn't take long for his eyes to alight with understanding.

"I am simply weighing the options."

"_No"_ She disagreed. "… What you are doing is telling me why I should stay behind. You forget that I am a certified mountain climber – In all honesty, I could probably scale this cavern better than you. And as far as the unknown, that's what the tricorder is for – is it not?"

Data looked down at the handheld device and quickly tossed it behind his shoulder.

"It is not working." He declared deadpanned.

Tasha tried her best to stifle a laugh from his reaction toward the malfunctioning device.

"If you remain close to the entrance, Lieutenant, it would be easier for you to escape, in the case of some unforeseeable event."

"Okay, so you can tell me if I'm right or not?" Her eyes narrowed, as she stared at him. "What I'm gathering is that you don't want me to go because you wish to ensure my safety. And by me remaining close to the entrance, it would alleviate your conscious from the possible prospect of me being in danger?"

Data nodded. "I am glad that you understand."

And with that said, he quickly turned and began venturing further back into the abyss.

"Wait!" Tasha hollered out, but he refused. "Wait just a damn minute!"

The android immediately yielded, as she ran to catch up to him.

Her voice was stern. "I'm going with you, whether you like it or not!"

Data glared at her, his eyes taking on a darker hue. "Must I order you to stay behind, Lieutenant?"

"You can, if it makes you feel better."

"I do not _feel _anything" He corrected her "…although, I am certain, that if I were to issue the demand, my orders would make you _feel_ like being insubordinate. Am I correct?"

Data's eyes raised in question and she couldn't help but to find him all the more attractive.

"Yes."

He continued to stare at her, slowly tilting his head to the side, as if studying her. He clearly disapproved with her actions and yet, he relented to her request.

"You will remain close to me…Do I make myself clear, Lieutenant?"

She saluted him in a mocking fashion. "Yes, Sir!"

Data narrowed his eyes in return, before grabbing her hand and abruptly pulling her along with him through the cave.

Tasha looked down at their clasped hands.

"Is this your idea of staying close?"

He gave her a side long glance, never slowing in his walk.

"If you wish to disobey me like a child, then I have no other choice than to treat you as such."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please…you were the one acting like a child…All this babbling about my safety – when you know good and well what I am capable of as the Chief of Security."

Data stopped, turning to face her as she continued in her ranting, refusing to relinquish her hand.

"_What_? Do you think I just happened to have this title handed down to me out of the kindness of Starfleet's heart? _No!_ I worked my ass off for it because I hold certain skills and talents that no other woman of my stature has ever held!"

Tasha grew silent as her Commander continued to stare at her with a faint hint of a smirk. Was it possible that he was amused by her outbursts?

A few seconds later, he finally spoke.

"Would it help to discredit your claims if I repeated your most recent tantrum, word for word, in your own voice?"

She clenched her jaw in anger, as her eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared, clearly not wanting to re-live the moment.

Data ignored her displeasure, as he visibly held up their coupled hands, using her current disposition to emphasize his point.

"_That _is why I am treating you like a child."

She tried in vain to jerk her hand from his grasp, only to have him tighten his hold on her, as he forcefully dragged her along their path, following the stream with his flashlight.

The silence was deafening between the two. Both officers refused to further explore the issue at hand, as all prior apologies had just been disbanded by a few acts of resistance.

They traveled forty meters into the cave, or better yet, Data pulled her forty meters into the cavern, still unwilling to release her hand. Slowly, the light from the entrance began fading, but before it had completely left, they discovered a geothermal spa.

It was a strange phenomenon that confused Tasha, considering the planet's arctic environment.

She stared at the bubbling pond of water in disbelief, as smoke filtered up from its hot surface.

"How is that possible?"

"It is has been discovered by geologist that Delta Vega's environment is mostly comprised of volcano's. But due to the substantial deposits of sulfuric dioxide into the stratosphere, the planet has fallen into a volcanic winter."

"So the atmosphere is purifying itself from all the pollution then?"

Data simply nodded his answer.

Tasha chanced a look in his direction, as he continued to stare at the hot spring. Despite his physical proximity and the hold he had on her hand, his thoughts appeared to be very distant.

"Are you still angry with me?" She asked hesitantly.

His eyes met hers.

"I am incapable of anger."

"You could have fooled me." She mumbled under her breath.

If Data heard her, he chose to ignore the remark, as he tugged on her hand and began walking once again.

Another lull fell between them.

Finally, he decided to speak, offering up a recommendation to her that had completely begun to dominate his thoughts. So much so, that he was beginning to fear that he was experiencing a feedback loop.

"I am aware that we will be on this planet for a week."

Tasha gave him a sideways glance, trying to figure out what he was getting at.

"Yes."

"I am also aware that there is nowhere for you to bathe." He cleared his throat, as he denied himself the pleasure of looking at her. "You could easily use the geothermal spa for that use."

Tasha stared at him with a blank expression and then, slowly, began to smirk at his demeanor.

"Are you uneasy with that idea, Commander Data?"

His eyes immediately met hers, along with the defensive stance he had taken on earlier.

"I am incapable of becoming uncomfortable." His eyes coldly searched hers, as if trying to prove his point.

Once again he resumed walking, pulling her along.

"It is of no concern to me what you do." He added nonchalantly.

She found that his defiance in conceding to any sort of feeling was tactful and unrelenting in its methods. Slowly, the negation was beginning to take its toil upon her, as it was soon becoming a repetitious event.

His apathy was almost as unpredictable as the tempers of an ocean surge. Its swells would envelope her in its embrace with visible acts of affection, and then harshly erase all traces of hope with words of detachment.

Data's artificial world was nothing more than a vicious cycle of tidal waves that came crashing down on her expectations of reciprocation one after another. The stipulations of what was his reality, billowed over her, taking her under the current, sucking the breath from her lungs as she was consistently met with further proof of an unattainable heart.

The waters were unforgiving in its rage, and she was the poor soul that was foolish enough to dive head first. Now she was drowning in a sea of inconsistency, its temperature a perfect blend of warm hope and cold agony. Any fool could see that there was no chance of anchorage here.

But she had discovered the secrets of perseverance long ago. It was a practiced art that only she had fine-tuned from a child-hood filled with unspeakable odds. And even though Data's artificiality was difficult to infiltrate, there were times when the tumultuous currents of his heart would cease, giving her a broader, deeper perspective of what possibly lied beyond. A time when the light in his eyes would shine only for her, entreating her not to give up. To save him from a world that only appeared to him in black and white. Only she could add the defining colors that could bring him past the borders of artificiality into humanity.

But the thought of it all, only caused anger to well up in her once again, as his indifference had clearly returned.

"You want to loosen up on that death grip you got going on?"

A repugnant, sideway glance from him was only further proof to her that he barely even acknowledged her plea.

"No."

"What if I said that you were hurting me?"

He merely continued his trek, his phlegmatic state untouched by the question.

"I would find it to be an untruth. I have perfectly calculated the amount of pressure that I can apply to your hand without causing harm. I have not altered it – therefore you are fine."

"Where are we going? Don't you think we should turn around and start heading back so that we can make camp?"

"Yes. But only after I discover what I am looking for."

"Well, we could be utilizing this time that we're wasting in exploring to create a more secure camp. One that's warm and safe."

Data stopped abruptly, the sudden action taking her by surprise once again.

He began examining the darkened material buried into the artic walls.

"What is it?"

The android moved in closer, ignoring her question. Tasha merely rolled her eyes in response.

Immediately, he released her hand as he unzipped his backpack and pulled out an icepick. His hand softly running over the blackened material, before he began digging into the surface. One by one he removed the substance, packing it into his bag without saying a word to her.

After about ten minutes of excavating the rocks free, he closed the backpack up, then reached down and retrieved her hand once more.

This time a little more gently, he looked at her briefly, nodding a silent message for her to follow him.

Silently, she did as he asked.

After a few passing moments, she inquired about the material once again.

"_So _– are you going tell me what that stuff is?"

"It is hectonic minerals. In my research of the environment, I found that it can be very useful during our stay."

"How?"

"It is conductive in creating fire. I was concerned about the severe elements found on Delta Vega; therefore I studied the colony extensively until I found a mineral that would be beneficial in keeping you warm."

"How long did it take you to discover this information?"

"Eight hours, twelve minutes and forty-two seconds."

Tasha's eyes widened in disbelief from the revelation.

"That is all night, Data!"

She stopped abruptly, causing Data to do the same. Her eyes took on a reformed glow, displaying her gratitude, as their eyes met.

"That's an awful lot of trouble to go through…Shouldn't you have been sleeping?"

Data tilted his head to the side.

"It was of no inconvenience to me…I require no rest."

Her face was immediately crestfallen.

"Oh."

Her simple reply was filtered with dejection, as they made their way back to the entrance of the cave in a deadened calm.

As they settled back in, she watched in silence as Data placed the hectonic minerals in a circle, completely unaware of her scrutiny.

Tasha was safely wrapped up in her thermal, sleeping bag. She was sitting up with her back securely against the cave's cold, hard surface, when the mocking thought struck her as he finished.

"Great, how you plan on lighting it?"

He continued to disregard her, pulling out the ancient Zippo lighter that Deval had given him from his pocket; he lit the coal-like substance. Immediately, it began fervently burning, the warmth quickly thawing her body.

Data looked past the fire, regarding her with an artificial, assenting smile, followed by a contemptuous glare.

Tasha would have never thought it possible, unless she had not witnessed the act itself. He was clearly being pretentious. So she returned the disdainful smirk with one of her own. Data tilted his head, scrutinizing her, his eyes refusing to rescind the gaze.

She watched in horror as he got up and began approaching her, pausing just slightly to the side of her, his gaze still disparaging hers as his body towered over hers.

Slowly, in one tantalizing motion, he leaned down, balancing himself on his soles. Tasha watched in wonder, completely transfixed by the moment unfolding before her.

Data reached out, grabbing the satchel beside her as he undid the flap with one hand, retrieving a bag of food rations from its confines. All the while, regarding her closely.

"You have not eaten?"

"Yeah, so what's it to you?"

"It is crucial that you maintain your health in this environment."

He offered the rations over, as she stared at the food with a rebellious eye.

"Is that an order, Commander?"

"Does it need to be?"

Tasha rolled her eyes, jerking the bag from his hand. Harshly, she ripped it open and began pushing the food about roughly. A moment later, she became consciously aware of his lingering presence. He was still crouched down in front of her, his eyes watching her intently.

The android's invasion into her personal space annoyed her all the more and to prove it, she let out a loud, exasperated breath as she pierced her commanding officer with a cold, hard look – one that delivered her unspoken message all too clear.

Data's only response to the offence was to tilt his head to the side and study her.

Tasha growled in annoyance. He could be so obtuse at times; apparently she needed to spell it out for him.

"Don't you have something to do? Like some self- maintenance checks or perhaps you can start on a mental list that clearly defines all acts of insubordination …That way my performance as a Starfleet Officer can be improved to your liking?"

Her words did nothing to dissuade him; he still refused to move from his position.

The android remained silent, his eyes ever fixed to her.

Tasha couldn't help but notice how he looked like a child, whom had become far too intrigued with an object that seemed to be a conundrum to him. The only problem was that the mystery that now held the Commander's attention was her.

Data's voice was barely above a whisper, entreating almost.

"Why do you wish me ill?"

Her eyebrows were drawn together in confusion, as she blinked repeatedly.

"W – What?" She swallowed hard, taken aback by his question.

"Have I not treated you well?"

She remained silent, the fire in her gaze extinguishing to his beseeching voice.

He wasn't judging her, far from it. Tasha thought him to be nothing more than an innocent, whom was trying to understand why he provoked her so.

"Did I not do as you requested?"

Of their own volition, her eyes widened at this one particular inquiry. The memory of the words she had spoken to him six months prior now echoed throughout her mind, _'And what I want now – is gentleness…joy…and love.'_

Perhaps the Commander wasn't so innocent after all. He seemed to discern all too well what her contempt toward him was all about – however misplaced it was.

"For one night, did I not give you what you desired of me? What so many others had neglected to deliver?"

Although his voice was soft in its approach, his eyes were not. Tasha found the amber orbs to be quite disconcerting, as she began shifting uncomfortably from side to side under their scrutiny.

Suddenly, the massive arctic cavern they had found themselves in began to shrink in size. Her chest constricting from a lack of air…or was it guilt?

She finally found her voice, as she sternly put an end to his interrogation.

"I think that's enough!"

His eyes narrowed, as a wry grin began to form at the corner of his lips.

Data leaned in closer, regarding her so closely that she could easily make out the gold specks hidden within his pupils.

Her heart began to pound erratically within her chest, so loud that it was deafening to her own ears.

"You are correct…It is _quite_ enough!"

It never ceased to amaze her. How the man can take something she said and repeat it specifically with the intention of holding a double –meaning. His ability to do so drove her mad!

And her potential to decipher it, never failed her either. She knew exactly what he meant. It was enough – all of it…The fighting, the rebellion, the averting. It had all culminated into this – a barren, cold, frozen wasteland. That's what their actions had gotten them! _This_ was their reward for refusing to deal with the obvious – an attraction that had far out-lived one night.

Tasha watched helplessly as his eyes roamed over her face, only to stop on a rebellious strand that had fallen close to her left eye. He reached out impulsively and pushed the strand back behind her ear.

And with a sad, apologetic smile, that completely matched the somber look in his eyes, he added.

"I can hear your heartbeat..." His hand lingered upon her cheek. "You are such a contradiction, Lieutenant Yar."

One of her brows shot up in question and he couldn't help but to smile. Not an artificial smile, but an actual smile – One that forced her to refrain from doing so herself.

"Your actions tell me one thing, when your heart clearly says another."

He paused and for a moment, she thought he might attempt to kiss her.

"Goodnight, Tasha."

With one last look, he returned back to the fire.

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_**Author's Notes: Sorry the updates are slow…I have way too much going on right now, so I was lucky to get this one in. I seriously need to update a few others as well, which I intend on doing. I promise that all of my stories are not abandoned. They are just merely on hold, until I can find the time to get back to them. **_


	4. Getting Reaquainted

"_**Lien Indissoluble"**_

_**Chapter 4 ~ "Getting Reacquainted"**_

_**In real life, love has to be possible. Even if it is not returned right away, love can only survive when the hope exists that you will be able to win over the person you desire.~ Paulo Coelho**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_**Day Two**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

Delta Vega's nature was a ruthless force to be reckoned with. If Tasha thought that its days were harsh, the nights were much fierce. It was their first night on the forbidden planet, and its unforgiving temperatures were enough to make her wish for the warmth and comfort of her own bed.

After restlessly rolling from one side to the other, trying in vain to seek some type of warmth, she was finally able to fall asleep. Of course, Data offered no assistance, he merely kept his distance by the fire, but she could clearly feel his eyes upon her. She wasn't sure why he didn't come to her aid, although it irked her tremendously.

Did the Commander keep his distance because he knew his presence was unwarranted, perhaps even unwanted? Or was the answer more simple than that, less complex – Maybe he just didn't know how to assist her, unsure of what course of action to take. Then, there was the one thought she chose not to dwell on – What if he didn't trust himself in her presence? That would certainly explain his indifference.

That was her last thought, until she embarrassingly woke up in the early hours of the night, where she found herself cuddled up to the frozen wall that she had been leaning against earlier. Obviously, her body was desperate for some type of warmth…or consolation? Whichever it was, she clearly received neither, as she continued shivering helplessly back to sleep.

When suddenly a loud crackle from the fire filled her ears, a sure sign that Data had refueled the fire, as it blazed higher, he must have trekked further back into the cave and excavated more hectonic minerals to keep her warm. And just as soon as the thought left her, she vaguely remembered a warm, thermal blanket enveloping her, as her body was turned in the opposite direction from the arctic wall.

Then, her ears faintly detected the sound of a jacket unzipping, opening wide as the occupant drew her body to his. She found herself snuggling her face comfortably into a warm, broad chest, as an arm snaked under her neck, holding her firmly to him. The other arm tightly wrapped around the small of her back, securing her in place.

Within minutes, she was beginning to feel the effects of her body temperature rising. She found herself smiling in her sleep from the comfort it brought her, as she sighed contentedly from a light kiss being placed upon her forehead.

It was pure bliss – whatever state her unconsciousness had fallen into, the dream was offering her exactly what she needed to outlast the vicious blizzard that was taking place outside the cavern. It's amazing what the mind could do when the body was being placed into survival mode.

When morning came, she resisted the urge to stretch and chose to snuggle further into the warmth that had surrounded her for almost the entire duration of the night. The overwhelming sensation of heat was a welcomed exchange, over the exposure of cold that the planet was relentlessly producing.

She finally relented to reality, briefly opening her eyes, blinking them into perspective, only to find her view obstructed. Confused, Tasha narrowed her eyes, staring speechlessly at the broad, black plated shirt before her. She rolled her eyes, annoyed that the android would still be present in her dreams. Why did he insist on invading her senses, whether they were of a conscious or unconscious realm?

Despite her reluctance to do so, she had to admit how lifelike his company was – Data's presence brought calm to her turmoil, without effort, he seemed to thaw the frozen outer shell that her past had taught her to adopt so long ago.

Softly, her hand rubbed his back under his jacket, lightly tracing her fingers in tiny circles. Immediately, his hands began imitating the soothing effect. Contentedly, she sighed, closing her eyes once again. It was unreal how realistic it felt. He mirrored the action perfectly and suddenly, she couldn't help but to smile at the thought of what else those hands could accomplish if allowed.

In fact, the effort he was placing into the ministrations reminded her of when she had seduced him six months ago. After a non-stop two hour bout of what could easily pass as an award winning Olympic session of love-making, they both laid sated and very pleased with one another.

She distinctly remembered being amazed by how softly his hand began gliding up and down her back, pausing briefly at certain points in her back, only to gently slide his fingers in a circular motion of comfort, much like he was doing right now…._Wait a second!_

Suddenly, Tasha's eyes shot back open, a look of complete horror about her face. Gradually, she backed away, as the security of his embrace loosened. For a moment, she hesitated, until she was finally able to raise her head. In the process, he lowered his, their eyes instantly meeting and without reservations, he spoke first.

"Good morning…I trust you slept well."

It wasn't a question, in fact, if the confidence in his eyes were any indication at all; he was simply relaying a fact.

She suspiciously arched an eyebrow – he obviously knew something.

"Why do you say it like that, Sir?"

He shrugged. "You just seemed quite…satisfied."

She could tell he was fighting the urge not to smile on that last word. _The bastard!_

Tasha quickly looked down, averting her gaze from his.

"Well, you would be too if you were dreaming about being in the safety of your own bed…warm and comfortable."

"I see."

He finally gave into the temptation to smile and Tasha found that it annoyed the hell out of her.

"You can wipe that damn smile off your face, Commander." She immediately began unraveling herself from his embrace, trying desperately to sit up. "I'm back in reality now."

"Do you dream often?"

His interest had been piqued and why she admitted to that little tidbit of information she would never understand. He was right, she did dream. And yes, it contained the warmth and comfort of her own bed, so technically she didn't lie in that sense. She just left out some major details – One that was of a more illicit nature, involving the man beside her.

She turned her back slightly away from him, as she pretended to be too involved in combing her fingers through her hair, trying desperately to place it back into some kind of order as she ignored his question.

But his next one quickly caught her attention, as he took her silence as an affirmation to his previous question.

"So this dream, it brought you comfort?"

She paused in her ministrations, as she looked at him through her eyelashes.

"Why are you so interested in my dreams all of sudden?" Finally, she turned to face him, her eyes daring him to continue in his interrogation. "Look Commander, it was just a dream…containing me and the comfort of my own bed. But since you don't rest, I'm sure you can't relate to how calming that can be to someone who is placed into a dire situation such as this."

Data ignored the blatant warning to back off.

"And are crewmates present within these dreams of yours?"

Her eyes widened in repugnance from the intrusive inquiry.

"No, Sir!" She answered almost too quickly, defensive as ever.

A moment of silence passed between them, as Data refused to break his gaze.

Tasha swallowed hard, blinking her eyes repeatedly, as the rhythm of her heart began to pick up its pace.

"W – Why do you ask, Commander?"

She tried to sound nonchalant, but the cracking of her voice gave away her efforts.

He sat up, refusing to back down from the glare of her eyes.

"…Because I seem to be a reoccurring participant in them."

'_Oh God, she didn't….please say that she didn't!'_

"W – What?"

Her breathing was becoming labored, as her heart pounded from the disclosure.

"I estimated my name falling from your lips a total of eleven times."

"You're lying!"

He seemed almost hurt by the accusation, as he looked down for a brief moment, processing.

"I am incapable of lying." He whispered.

She abruptly stood up, the motion quickly bringing his eyes to hers, only to find that they held one contemptuous glare. He watched silently as she placed her hands upon her hips defensively.

"Of course, from what I understand you're incapable of a lot of things, _Commander_!" She accused.

There it was, the reason she had such disdain for him. And he could not help but to ask himself, with his infinite capacity for illusion when it came to her, if her pitiless indifference might not be a subterfuge for hiding the torments of love. The way she could return back to her detached state, the way she chose to use formalities to describe his connection with her.

Of course, he _was_ her commanding officer, but her usage of his rank implied much more. It represented a cold, indifferent relationship, one that lacked the type of past that they had once shared. He had concluded that he did not like it!

For a moment they stared at one another, his golden orbs filled with disbelief. She was attempting to hurt him with her words, in fact, she had been for quite some time, but her downtrodden glance showed a dawning in her features – revealing how futile she believed her effort really was.

So in her concession, she turned to retreat toward the fire, only to have a hard, firm grip wrap around her elbow, roughly pulling her body around to face him. The act was so forceful, that she found herself bumping into his chest, as he quickly maneuvered her back against the cavern wall she had sought solace from the night before.

She had no idea how Data had done it, or how the android had accomplished the maneuver, but she found herself literally fixed to the wall. His hands firmly held hers against the frozen surface, as his entire body fortified her to the wall. She could literally feel every inch of him against her, as his face remained meters from hers.

Tasha gasped. "C – Commander, what are you doing?"

"I am attempting to test your resolve."

She wiggled against him, shoving and pushing, as she desperately tried to free herself from his entrapment.

"Let me go!"

But her struggles were all in vain, as he slammed her hands back into place.

They stared at one another. Data was obviously intrigued as she fought to catch her breath. He searched her eyes, certain that he had not hurt her; considering he had taken great lengths not too. But the disheveled, unorderly look that she now held was nonetheless…fascinating.

The Security Chief's bangs inconveniently hung in her eyes, her jaw gritted with disdain, her voice was oddly absent and her eyes brazenly dared him to continue with his assault. She was testing his willpower, just as much as he was testing hers.

For months she had rebelled, undermined and avoided his command – all in an audacious attempt to get a reaction from him. Now, in the spontaneity of the moment, she was getting just that.

"Is this what you want_, Lieutenant_?" He spat the last word with such distaste.

He leaned in closer and she defiantly turned her head to the side.

"Do not do this…Do not push me away."

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied.

He maneuvered his face to peer into hers, as she quickly evaded his gaze again, only to have him reinforce his grip. The action served as nothing more than a reminder of who was in control of this situation.

"Look at me." He pleaded softly.

She refused, closing her eyes tightly shut.

"Lieutenant, look at me!"

His intonation no longer held the dialect of a request; it was an order – more forceful, more demanding.

Still, she denied him, obstinate till the end.

So he tried a different tactic, as he leaned his head in close to the side of her face, his lips barely grazing her ear. The intimate contact paralyzed his victim as he whispered the reprimand with equal resentment.

"My – name – is – Data."

The rebuke caught her off guard, as she turned to face him – A mistake on her part.

"I – I know what your damn name is."

He drew back, studying her, daring her to defy him again.

Finally, she submitted, as she regarded him with just as much animosity.

Data boldly closed the distance between them, his forehead resting against hers.

"Do you?" She remained silent, their eyes engaged in a silent battle of wits. "Forgive me, but it appears that I am inclined to remind you that my name is not _Sir _or _Commander_."

"I'm sorry – Did I hurt your feelings?" She eyed him derisively. "Oh wait…I forgot you don't have any!"

A wry grin came to his face.

There it was…the very reason she defied him. In his studies of human behavior, he had learned that humans do not get upset over something that means absolutely nothing to them. He also knew that hate could produce a reaction, just as much as love could.

Her resentment of him wasn't because of what he was capable of, but because of what he was _incapable _of. He could not return what she wanted him to give.

"Why do you wish to punish me for something that is beyond my control?"

'_Damn. That was a good question,'_ she thought.

She opened her mouth to rebuff him, to contest his insight, but to her surprise nothing came out. So she closed her mouth as she nervously bit her bottom lip. Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the action, fixated. His head tilted slightly to the side, as his eyes darted from her lips to her eyes.

Tentatively, he asked for the one thing he needed to hear. Why, it was of such importance, he did not know.

"Say my name?"

He waited patiently.

"I can't…You're my commanding officer and our relationship is not indicative to imply anything else beyond that."

"I think you and I both know that is not true. Your aversion to me implies the contrary" He paused "...Say my name?"

Tasha remained silent, refusing his request.

Data leaned back, breaking their contact as he looked down, almost defeated. Slowly, he began to loosen his grip upon her hands.

Until, she relented, his name barely audible.

"Data."

He looked up to see her jaw defiantly fixed and her eyes closed tightly shut.

And to his surprise, she opened them, the blue of her eyes blazed fiery red. She was definitely not pleased.

"_Happy?" _

His grip tightened once more, as he closed their distance, smirking triumphantly.

"Now say it without clenching your teeth together?"

She couldn't help but to scowl at him, as she took a deep breath, sighed and faked the best smile she could possibly muster.

"Don't push your luck."

He nodded, but still refused to move.

"Tell me, should I be flattered that you dream of me?"

Tasha tilted her head…_was he flirting?_

"I never admitted to such a thing."

"You did not deny it either."

Damn. That was true. She merely referenced to calling him a liar instead.

"I don't recall."

He tilted his head, regarding her closely.

"Do you always resort to telling falsehoods whenever your integrity is compromised?"

She blinked repeatedly, taken aback by his honesty, but she quickly rebounded.

"One thing I learned on Turkana IV that always stuck with me – when all else fails, just utter three little words."

The promised revelation clearly intrigued him, as he calmly waited for its unveiling.

"It never happened."

The response obviously caught him off-guard, if that was even possible. Data's eyes quickly narrowed, his nostrils flaring as a wry grin formed at the corner of his lips.

"Yes – I recall all too well how fond you are of those three little words."

Data recoiled away so fast that the action left Tasha frozen in place.

He wasn't sure why the words troubled him so, but the very utterance of them had literally burned themselves into his neural net. The first time she ever spoke those words to him, he had dwelt on them for weeks afterwards – completely at a loss as to why he would devote most of his time to processing such a feeble response. Was it vanity, disappointment – or something more?

Quickly, he reached down, grabbing his bag as he turned to head toward the cave entrance. Only to be stopped by Tasha blocking his exit.

She defensively placed her hands on her hips, as she glowered at him.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Data cocked his head to the side, all traces of his previous frustration replaced by his even-tempered state.

"I must reach the homing beacon site so that the Enterprise will know that we are safe and unharmed. It is crucial that we send a signal out at least once a day so they will know to come back for us."

"Data, have you looked outside." To further prove her argument, she pointed to the mounting snow. "In case you haven't noticed, a massive blizzard hit last night and it still hasn't let up. You won't last more than two hours in that stuff."

He leaned in, his amber eyes taking on a darker hue.

"How convenient that would be for you."

He side-stepped past her, resuming his determined pace, but Tasha wasn't ready to give up just yet. She boldly reached out, grabbing his arm, hoping that the desperate gesture would stop him.

It worked. Data paused briefly, staring out of the cavern entrance, sighing, he turned to face her once more.

The words instantly flowed out of her.

"I don't hate you."

It was amazing how the heart reacted to despondency, the things it reveals in a last minute effort to keep what you love close. In fact, the revelation was news to her. She was even starting to believe that she hated him – For all the things he couldn't give her and yet, she still selfishly demanded.

But apparently, her hate was nothing more than a masquerade for the resentment she felt in being the only one who could actually _feel _in this relationship.

Out of all the crewmembers aboard the Enterprise, or Starfleet for that matter, why did it have to be him? Why did her heart _choose_ him? That question plagued her for months and she still didn't have the answer. It was a terrible, cruel fate – to burn with desire and be forced to remain quiet about it. She literally could not think of any greater punishment to bring upon oneself than that.

Data's eyes lifted briefly, causing his forehead to wrinkle pronouncedly from the response.

"Forgive me; I was under a different impression." His tone was tender and low.

Tasha looked down, suddenly embarrassed by her past actions.

"I know." She whispered.

Then, she met his eyes, compelled by the poignant moment to explain.

"And that was my fault. I should have realized the consequences of my actions and there effect upon you." She waved her arms out by her sides, as she solemnly shrugged her shoulders. "Look, we can reach the site another day – _together!" _

Tasha held his gaze, her voice soft.

"If I hurt you" She paused, closing her eyes as she suddenly realized how impossible that was "…Please, don't go….Just stay here with me, where it's safe."

When she opened her eyes once more, she briefly saw Data's brows narrow at her last comment, as though he almost doubted her sincerity, but the reaction was gone so fast that she questioned its existence.

"You need not concern yourself with my emotions, I assure you, your sympathy is not necessary."

He sounded so disconnected from reality, but what was even worse, he seemed disconnected from her, immune almost. His speech was so rehearsed, so cold and withdrawn. Its very essence sucked the breath from her lungs and its intended result showed upon her face, but still she pressed on.

"See" She pointed her finger accusingly at him "…Now that's where you are wrong. I should be concerned because my behavior toward you didn't correlate with who I am as a person. I was rude, weak and resentful – and unjustly so."

Data continued to stare at her. The tension was so palpable that she desperately wished he would say something – _anything_!

But he remained silent and so she continued on, rambling uncontrollably as she tried to bait him into staying.

"If you remain here, I promise I'll answer any questions that you might have…We'll talk this thing through until we figure out how to overcome whatever _this_" She gestured between the two of them "…Is."

"Why?"

To be honest, she didn't expect him to call her bluff so quickly. The android's question completely caught her off guard and she wasn't exactly a hundred percent sure as to what he was referring.

"Why what...Why do I want you to stay here?"

"No…Why did you do it?"

She stared at him, still not quite comprehending or either she was just merely pretending not to understand, in order to keep from having to answer his question. Whichever was the case, he could not quite discern. So he chose to elaborate.

"For several months, I have been studying the complex characteristics of human relationships. In my studies, I have discovered some very promising theories..."

His voice halted, amazed by the sound of her heart beating furiously beneath her chest, along with the look of bated breath upon her lips. Softly, he shook off the distraction as he continued to explain his theoretical views.

"But I have mostly focused all my attention upon those whom have developed an emotional attachment to another; particularly one that they believe would not return their sentiments."

Tasha took in a deep breath, still meeting his gaze, suddenly realizing where he was going with his argument.

"And this theory of yours has to do with me _how_?"

"If I am correct, you are imitating one emotional response quite remarkably."

'_That was funny; she could almost say the same for him,'_ she thought ironically.

"It is a defense mechanism used by solitary individuals, especially when they realize that another person, perhaps one they are attracted to, is literally too close for comfort. I have come to the conclusion that they fear the pain that would inevitably follow if the relationship were to fail." Data tilted his head, studying her intensely. "So they try to dissuade the union by retaliating against it in a sense. They began to place distance between themselves and the recipient…they rebel, avoid and even resort back to formalities as a way of emphasizing the obstruction that they have erected between the two and as a result, they push them away, all because of one little emotion – _fear._" He paused, as he took a step closer, his voice dangerously alluring. "Why do you insist on pushing me away?"

"Data, for someone like me, who suffered from such a brutal past, you don't just live, you learn to survive. And in order to do that, you have to be able to recognize the things that could hurt you in an impetuous effort to save yourself from the pain. Sometimes you are successful and sometimes you're not." Data regarded her closely, so closely that she felt compelled to avert her gaze. "One thing I learned from my past is that it's always best to run from any heartache, especially one that is basically waiting to happen." And then, she softly mumbled to herself. "Or one that has already happened."

She didn't think he had heard the last part, but once again, she had the misfortune of taking his keenness for granted.

"And which category do I fall into – the one that happened or the one waiting to happen?"

Tasha's eyes widened in shock and it was clear to Data that she did not expect him to pick up on her last statement.

Tasha opened her mouth to answer and then closed it just as quickly, unable to speak the truth. Data waited patiently for her response, but when none came, his previous irritation seemed to return.

"You will remain here, Lieutenant. I will return directly in a few hours."

"Like hell you will!"

Data rapidly moved in closer, so fast that the unexpected motion caused Tasha to take a step back.

"I do not recall asking for your opinion, Lieutenant, nor is it wanted. I was simply delivering an order, one that I fully expect you to carry out to its fullest, or I will be forced to report your insubordination to the Captain upon our return. Do we understand one another?"

The Security Chief jutted her chin out defiantly.

"_Perfectly_, Commander!"

He nodded, then turned to leave, only to pause briefly.

"There are more hectonic minerals beside the fire; it is enough to keep you warm until I return. But most importantly, I need you to promise me that you will remain here. If I do not return, I am ordering you not to look for me."

She remained silent, her heart sinking in utter despair.

When Data did finally turn around to look at her one last time, she couldn't help but to note how he ignored her dismal state. It was in that moment, that she literally had to look away, never feeling more alone, destitute in a love affair that was meant for two.

"Promise me?"

The detached question brought her eyes back to his and all she could bring herself to do was nod. She couldn't speak right now; she just didn't trust her voice enough to vocalize the answer without falling apart in front of him.

Data was chivalrous enough to wait for her inarticulate answer before leaving her behind.

It was only minutes later that she finally allowed the feeling of abandonment to wash over her. She steadily made her way back to her make-shift bed, her body numb and her mind dazed from the battle she had just lost.

Slowly, she lowered herself down, pulling the blanket back over her body, before giving into the emotion. It was only in her solitude that she had come to embrace a custom that she had done many of nights on count of him – she cried herself to sleep.

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_**Author's Note: Alright, here's the new update for this story. I have the Chapter 5 almost finished and more than likely it will be up tonight. If not, then it will most definitely be posted by tomorrow. Let's just say that Data goes and gets himself into some serious trouble. And yes, I plan on updating some others as well through the week. Déjà vu and What a Tangled Web We Weave are the two to be on the lookout for. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, as you can see; things are really starting to intensify between these two – a breaking point is on the horizon. **_____


	5. Frozen

"_**Lien Indissoluble" **_

_**Chapter 5 – "Frozen" **_

_**Then again, you cannot stop the flood of desire as it moves through the world, inappropriate though it may sometimes be. It is the perogative of all humans to make ludicrous choices, to fall in love with the most unlikely of partners, and to set themselves up for the most predictable of calamities. ~Elizabeth Gilbert**_

_** -x-x-x-x- **_

_**_**Author Notes: Oh yeah, I really struggled with this chapter because I wasn't sure if I could really buy the idea of Data's artificial body suffering from the ill-effects of the freezing temperatures on Delta Vega. But after a little bit of research and discovering that zero temperatures can affect circuitry, well, then I was okay with the idea of Data loosing the ability of his motor skills due to the severity of the weather. So that's why the update took so long, the chapter was ready, just placed on hold because I wasn't sure if I wanted to go in this direction or not. Thank you to all my readers for being so patient with me. I know the updates are slow, but I'm in the process of getting them all up to par. Enjoy!**_**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

Despite her dejected state, the day seemed to pass rather quickly. The snow finally let up and several hours had passed since Data had left. Although she tried, she couldn't ignore the rising urgency that was filling her very being.

She wasted the day by dwelling on their circumstances and the big "what if" that seemed to hang over their heads. Although her stomach was growling, she couldn't bring herself to eat. But most of all, she couldn't resist the impulse to keep walking over toward the cave entrance, staring out into the distance, hoping to see Data's silhouette coming into view – but it never happened.

In his absence, she chose to keep the fire raging; in a small attempt to keep the cavern warm for when he returned. Tasha knew he had left out around noon, particularly because of where the sun was set in the sky.

That's also how she knew he had been gone for far too long, he should have been back hours ago. She estimated that the sun would start setting in about two hours from now, a fact that made her all the more anxious. As she continued to stare out into the horizon, once again, almost as if willing his form to appear, she began to think back to his theoretical view of her.

He was right, she was afraid of him. She did fear the pain that could accompany their relationship, if and when it failed, not to mention the effects it would have over her work performance. Hell, her infatuation with him was already affecting her duties and they weren't even together yet, but in all retrospect, she realized a moment of truth that laid hidden deep within – She would much rather risk losing her career, than risk losing him. The revelation was enough to shock her – just as Data aspired to be human; she had always aspired to become the best Starfleet Officer.

But then again, fear could be an overpowering, yet intimidating emotion. It could withhold you from the most alluring escapes, but with the proper amount of pressure upon your heart, it could compel you toward the unknown without a single care as to the consequences. And it was because of that revelation that she decided to disobey his order and leave the safety of the cavern behind in order to find him.

She had traveled about a quarter of a mile before she finally made out his form in the distance. Although the downpour had stopped hours ago, the wind was horrific in its brutality, blowing her body from side to side, as if she were a single leaf being tossed about. She was certain that her swaying actions mirrored that of a man who had undergone entirely too much intoxication.

Tasha held her hand up in front of her face, trying desperately to stop the hard prickles of ice from spraying her in the face. As the security chief in her, firmly kept her eye fixed upon her commanding officer, despite the hellacious obstacles the planet was throwing at her.

Panic rose in her throat when she saw his form swaying from side to side, until his legs lazily collapsed to the knees, as the rest of his body fell over to the side. His body's foible behavior caused her to scream out his name, as she picked up her pace, running relentlessly toward him.

When she finally reached him, he looked up at her, but his face held a hollow look, as if there was something gone – Something like an inward focus that was distantly attentive to a home you were missing or that special someone that you were missing. His neural net seemed so abstracted that she wasn't even sure if he even recognized his surroundings anymore, let alone her.

Until, in his distress, he smiled…_at her!_ Not just any smile, but the kind that made her fall in love with him all the more.

"Y – You… dis – disobeyed… an – another… o – order." His speech was slurred and lethargic.

She hesitated, taking in his disheveled state. His hair was soaking wet and in complete disarray, as well as his clothes. His pale, authentic skin seemed more blanch, if that was even possible. His lips held a tinge of blue to them, which alarmed her all the more. Was it possible for an android to suffer from hypothermia in zero degree weather?

Softly, she rubbed her fingers through his hair, affectionately pushing the rebellious strands back into place.

"Shush, don't try to talk. I need you to focus on exerting your energy in getting back to the cave."

She placed her arm under his neck, as she gently helped him sit upright. Tasha stood, maneuvering herself behind him as she leaned down, procuring her arms under his as she struggled to help him stand to his feet.

Good God, he was heavy!

But despite his weight, she could tell that he was trying to help her, but he lacked the proper use of his motor skills to perform the act correctly. For a second, they swayed from side to side, until she was able to finally get him upright. Taking advantage of the achievement she quickly grabbed his arm and placed it around her neck, as she used her other arm to hug his waist tightly to hers.

She waited a few seconds before taking the first step, trying to give him enough time to adjust to the upright position.

"I need you to walk with me…Do you think you can do that?"

The android merely nodded.

After enduring a couple of falls from his missteps – it took her a little over twenty minutes to get him safely back into the confines of the cave. Thankfully, the fire was still raging and she softly laid him down upon the makeshift bed.

Immediately, she began untying his boots, pulling the water-logged shoes and socks from his feet. She couldn't help but to notice how cold his skin was, which scared her all the more, because it was always so warm to the touch – much like it was last night.

She ran the palm of her hands over his feet, rubbing up and down furiously, in a desperate attempt to bring some type of warmth back to them. Once satisfied, she straddled his waist, as she moved her attention toward his jacket, slowly she unzipped it.

Gently, Tasha raised him up, as she slid the material down his arms and for a brief instance, their eyes met. She wanted nothing more than to devour his lips, but she forced herself to ignore the spark of passion that his gaze seemed to ignite within her – So she opted for words instead.

"Data, I need you to run a self-diagnostic for me…I need to know exactly what's going on with you."

"Alr – Already do – done." His speech was horribly slurred. "Dr – Drop…I – In... Temp – er – ature." He paused, as if exhausted. "N – no…func – tion."

Affectionately, she rubbed her hand down his cheek, thinking that the comfort would calm his fears. Only to realize that the gesture wasn't necessary for him, but it _was _necessary for her.

"It's okay…We're going to get your internal temperature back where it needs to be…okay?"

He tried a feeble attempt at nodding.

She grabbed the hem of his shirt, pausing, as she looked into his eyes, an apologetic expression filling her features.

"Data, in order to get you warm, I'm going to have to undre –."

His voice interrupted her.

"Na – Naked."

She tried desperately not to smile at his witty description.

"Yes…" His eyes remained locked to hers. "I'm afraid the quickest way to get you warm is with our combined body heat."

"Y – You?"

Tasha immediately discerned his question.

"Yes, me too."

She thought she heard a slight groan escape his lips, but she wasn't sure if he was distraught by actual pain or the image of lying naked with her in such close quarters.

"Are you in any pain?"

Tasha asked as she lifted his shirt over his head.

Data just shook his head from side to side, as she gradually lowered him back down.

Her hands began trembling and she faltered when she reached the fastening upon his pants. She was very aware of his eyes on her and she wanted nothing more than to see if any desire lied within them, but she chose to ignore the temptation and remain focused on the task at hand.

To any outsider viewing the scene before them; Tasha would have appeared detached and unfeeling. But on the inside, her emotions were all over the place when she unlatched the top of Data's pants and her fingers slowly moved his zipper down, slightly grazing his manhood in the process.

She let out a deep exhale, when she realized that she had fully groped an indisposed android and successfully feigned ignorance toward the fact. It was in that moment that she risked looking into his eyes. He was intently still staring at her, but he no longer held that distant, hollow look. As a matter of fact, he seemed very aware of her presence.

She averted her gaze, as her fingers slipped beneath the waist of his pants, gently tugging everything down with one single motion of her hands. She tried desperately not to look, as she quickly pulled the blanket up over his body.

She confidently stood, still noticing his eyes regarding her; she maneuvered her finger in a circular motion, silently ordering him to turn around. Both of them suddenly aware of what she was about to do.

"You mind turning your head in the other direction, Commander?"

To her delight, he seemed almost reluctant to pull his eyes away from her, but ever the gentleman, he did as she requested.

She hastily undressed, as she laid their clothes out by the fire, in hopes that they would dry faster. During all this, she couldn't help but to note that despite the heat from the fire, the cavern was still extremely cold.

In fact, she was beginning to wonder if she was even doing the right thing by using their combined body heat to warm him, unsure if the medical tactic held the same outcome for an artificial life form as it did for a human, but it was the only logical answer she had at her disposal.

'_Well, it was too late to stop now,'_ she thought.

Tasha tried to push the doubt from her mind, as she lied down beside him, pulling her side of the blanket over her body as well. Slowly, she scooted her body up next to his, curling herself to his form perfectly, as she draped her arm upon his chest.

The next act was mainly done as an after-thought, as she threw her right leg over his, being extra careful not to brush against his manhood, hoping that the maneuver would add extra warmth to his frozen exterior.

She nuzzled her head into his shoulder, the action causing him to turn his head back toward her, his chin resting on top of her head. Softly, she moved her hand up his chest, softly up the side of his face, until her fingers grazed over his left ear, entwining them into his hair, as she began lightly stroking the dampened strands behind his ear in a comforting motion.

After a few minutes, a lull fell over them, until Data finally spoke.

"T – Top."

Tasha raised her head, only to find him already staring down at her.

"Data, I don't think that's a good idea..." She swallowed hard from the illicit thoughts that were starting to conjure up in her mind. "Besides, I can get you just as warm this way."

He defiantly shook his head from side to side.

"Temp…st – still… l – low."

"We're both naked, I honestly don't believe that me getting on top of you is the best solution right now."

He easily discerned her fears.

"N – not…ful – fully…func – tioning."

She tried to hold back the giggle, but she couldn't help it, until she seen his eyes narrow.

Tasha immediately placed her hand over her mouth.

"I'm sorry…I was just thinking how stupid it was for me to be worrying about such a thing when you are literally freezing to death."

Cautiously, she maneuvered her body on top of his under the blanket, taking extra care in placing her hips above a certain region that she knew to be well-endowed on him. She risked a look at him as she placed one hand behind his head, only to find his eyes closed so tightly shut that his forehead furrowed indignantly, giving him the appearance of being in deep concentration, as his lips slightly parted.

She lowered her head down to rest upon his shoulder, as her other hand went back to running her fingers through his hair.

The only sound that filled the cavern was the rustling stream in the distance and the crackling of the fire. She could literally hear his heartbeat, or the fake simulation of one and she was amazed to find it literally pounding beneath her ear. She wasn't sure if it was from his distress or from their bare bodies being so closely joined.

About every five minutes, Tasha would chance another look at him, the motion causing her body to move slightly against him. She could clearly feel his skin beginning to warm up, but she mainly did it because she was honestly concerned about him and it was her only way of examining his features for any sign of improvement.

"Please…B – Be… Still."

Tasha mumbled an apology.

Well, his speech was improving, so that was a good sign.

But she still chose to study him for any other problems.

"Is your temperature beginning to rise?"

Suddenly, his eyes shot open and she could clearly see that they were of a darker hue, almost amber. He stared directly into her eyes and to her surprise, she was able to see what she was previously afraid of… desire!

'_Oh hell, his temperature is most definitely rising'_ she thought to herself.

And as if on cue, to confirm her thought, he answered her question, his voice deep and beguiling in its tone.

"Yes."

**-x-x-x-x-**

_**Author's Notes: I'll be finishing up Chapter 6 tonight so I'll probably post it tomorrow, but I'm also working on a couple of others as well. So it really depends on how much I can get done. I hope you guys enjoyed it! **_


	6. Limitations

"_**Lien Indissoluble"**_

_**Chapter 6 – "Limitations"**_

_**Every broken heart has screamed at one time or another: "Why can't you see who I truly am?" ~ Shannon L. Alder**_

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

But she still chose to study him for any other problems.

"Is your temperature beginning to rise?"

Suddenly, his eyes shot open and she could clearly see that they were of a darker hue, almost amber. He stared directly into her eyes and to her surprise, she was able to see what she was previously afraid of… desire!

'_Oh hell, his temperature is most definitely rising,'_ she thought to herself.

And as if on cue, to confirm her thought, he answered her question, his voice deep and beguiling in its tone.

"Yes."

Mortified by the moment, Tasha quickly placed her head back down upon his shoulder, denying herself the pleasure of looking at him again.

A respite fell between them and she closed her eyes, trying desperately to block the forbidden thoughts of their last intimate encounter. And she was successful, until Data decided to relocate his hands from the safe distance of his sides, to the new tantalizing position of her thighs.

His grasp was firm, almost as if he was assuring himself of the fact that his strength would prevent her from maneuvering about his body. To test her theory, she tried to slide down, but his hands defiantly kept her in place.

"Do. Not. Move." His mechanical breath was coming out in short gasps.

And immediately she recognized the response – he was becoming aroused, but why hide it?

'_Well, her negligence of him over the past six months would be one good reason to do so,'_ she thought.

"Data, what's wrong?"

"I am fine…According to my last self-diagnostic check; my systems are beginning to function within normal parameters." He hesitated briefly before adding. "So your body heat is no longer warranted." And just as coldly. "Thank you for your assistance."

The android didn't even wait for her response before he gently lifted her body up off of his, safely setting her down beside him. She noted a good few inches between them as he did so, placing a considerable amount of distance between them, and she couldn't help but to believe that the act had been done so intentionally.

He was on the verge of losing his self-control, of course he needed to place distance between them. It was the proper thing to do, the rational explanation, his moral right. For one damn night, she wished he would put all that aside, to hell with propriety and rationalism. She could only think of one moral thing right now and that was to have him inside her.

Tasha's voice was soft, almost sympathetic. "Data, you accused me earlier of placing distance between us."

He didn't say anything; he just merely continued to stare up at the frozen ceiling.

"Right now, I could accuse you of the same conduct."

"I do not see how your argument could be relevant considering you were just lying on top of me exactly one minute and thirteen seconds ago."

"It is possible to be close to someone physically and have distance applied mentally and emotionally."

"You forget that I do not have emotions. Therefore it is impossible for me to separate myself from you in the manner in which you speak."

She rolled her eyes, with an unsettling growl in the back of her throat. On impulse, she raised up so fast, that the blanket almost fell completely away from her, but her hand was quick to retrieve it in a small attempt at modesty.

"Data, is there anything that you want?!" She was clearly frustrated beyond control. "Anything you need?!"

But he remained stoic, a collected, immovable force. His eyes began scanning from side to side, processing her spontaneously driven question and she couldn't help but to notice that he still refused to look at her.

"At this current moment – no" His eyes met hers, they were hollow, distant. "…Your help has been most efficient. Thank you."

His answer sounded so rehearsed that it literally sucked the breath from her lungs.

She looked down, suddenly humiliated by the outburst. Slowly, she lowered herself back down to the sleeping bag, deliberately placing her back to him. She was successful in holding back the tears, but only because her fatigued state had claimed her quicker.

When she awoke, she realized it was still dark out. The planet was unusually calm, except for the wind howling slightly outside the cavern. She rolled over, only to find Data's spot empty. She quickly scanned the cavern, until her eyes landed on his form by the fire. She watched him, feeling compelled to do so by his melancholy state. As she stared, she noted that he had already placed his clothes back on.

His eyes were intently focused on the flames in front of him, but his thoughts were far away. Data remained completely oblivious to her gaze as she continued to watch him in his moment of solitude; the orange glow of the fire's light dancing about his face.

The intoxicating mixture of shadows and luminescence was quite alluring, she had always believed him to be a handsome man, but the fire enhanced his features all the more.

And it was then, that she realized the truth of their circumstances. It was utterly devastating, at least to her, maybe not so much to him, considering he lacked the proper emotion required to acknowledge such anguish. It was a sad turn of events; here she was, stuck on this frozen purgatory of a planet, with the one man who had bewitched her completely.

With one night, Data had given her a glimpse of what real love is supposed to feel like. Through subroutines and human improvisation, he successfully proved that a woman was meant to be treasured, not discounted. The Commander had delivered her request with extreme expertise and now she was a hopeless addict waiting for their next hit.

He was a paradox – his lack of emotion was a deadly mixture of skill and indifference. Dr. Soong apparently had a terrible sense of humor, to create a man with Data's aptness, with his ability to mimic the vastness of emotions, but lack the knowledge to correctly define them when displayed. How do you explain to an android that has literally been neutered from all emotion, that he could love better than most humans? It was almost like being taken to the highest mountain, showing you the world and saying,_ 'This is what you can't have!'_

After all, a person doesn't know true hurt and suffering until they've felt the pain of falling in love with someone that has been stripped of any type of emotion. She couldn't think of anything that could possibly be worse than realizing you want something or someone – Only to find out that you could never possess it.

Then again, there could be a bright side to her predicament; unrequited love is the only possible way for someone to give themselves to another without being held solely accountable to them. She could stop loving him at any time she chose too, and not suffer from the side effects often imposed by the guilt that would rightly accompany such a termination, or at least that's what she told herself.

"Do you wish to get dressed?"

His question startled her.

Data had never even acknowledged the silent invasion of her eyes upon him and yet, he spoke as if he was certain of their presence.

She never answered; she just continued to stare at him for several seconds.

Finally, he looked in her direction, meeting her gaze head on.

"Do you require this long to process my question?"

_'Did she just detect sarcasm in his tone?'_

"Data – what are we?"

"I am a Lieutenant Commander of the Federation Starship _Enterprise_ and you are the Chief of Security." He deflected.

'_Yep, he was being a smartass!'_

Tasha closed her eyes, breathing in deeply as she tried desperately to suppress the urge to reply with a witty comment of her own.

A moment later she regarded him, only to catch a glimpse of a sly grin formed at the corner of his lips.

"Data, I need to know if the interaction between us…Is all of that just some program that you summon up or is that really you?"

His eyes began scanning from side to side, trying to comprehend her question.

"I am afraid that you will have to be more specific in your inquiries."

So she began to think back over the past few days.

"When we were planet side and you wanted us to usher the children into that abandoned building." She paused as he continued to stare at her. "You protected me, despite my rejections toward you."

She could clearly see him retrieving the memory, replaying the incident within his positronic mind.

"Do not all superior officers protect those who serve under their command?"

Tasha closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose in her frustration. _'Gawd, he was making her head hurt.'_

"I can recall several incidents where Captain Picard and Commander Riker would have sacrificed themselves for the crew." Seeing her discomfort, he began tilting his head to the side, regarding her actions curiously. "Are you in distress?"

"Yes…" Then, defiantly she began shaking her head. "I mean – No!"

She groaned loudly, clearly exhausted by the conversation already. Slowly, Tasha met his eyes, pausing a moment to collect herself.

"Yes, they both have done that for the entire crew, but not just for one person in particular."

"Are you alluding to the fact that they would not have acted in the same pretext as I did…Because I am inclined to disagree." Then, his demeanor quickly changed as he pointed an accusing finger in her direction. "I think that is an unfair assumption – your life, as Chief of Security, is in danger every day. It is your job to protect every member of the crew. You hold the position of Starfleet's sacrificial lamb, if you will."

Tasha's eyes widened in surprise. _'When did he start speaking in metaphors to explain his off the wall theories?'_

"…And yet, I do not question your motives because I know it is your duty to do so!"

"Yes it is."

She couldn't argue with that.

Data's eyes narrowed. "But you dare to question mine when I am only carrying out my obligations to those who serve below me…or beside me."

"If that's the case and I'm nothing more than Starfleet's –" She held her fingers up, mimicking quotation marks as she used his words against him. "…_'sacrificial lamb'_ then why did you send me back to the ship if it's my duty to protect the entire crew?"

Data tilted his head in confusion, amazed that she did not already know the answer.

"Because you were displaying characteristics of insubordination."

'What about your actions since we've been on this planet? Why don't you explain that to me?"

"I do not recall any gestures that would have culminated in your harm?"

Tasha crossed her arms, trying desperately to ignore the urge to stand and engage him better.

"Really – You don't recall dragging me all throughout this cavern, all because you were afraid of leaving me behind? Or what about you keeping me warm last night, or maybe I should mention the fact that since we've been here, you have attempted to kiss me three times now…and last night, you kissed me on my forehead!" His eyes widened at the revelation – he almost resembled a child busted for his mischief. "And you couldn't even stand me being on top of you a few hours ago. In fact, you literally lifted me off of you, simply because I was getting too close!"

Data refused to answer. Instead, he turned his gaze toward the entrance, watching the downpour of snow outside.

For a second, she was almost envious of the snowflakes falling outside – Why was he looking to them for an escape, when she was right there?

It was a cruel, sick joke, a twisted romance, when the one you love with all your heart literally knows what you hunger for, but they still choose to starve you.

Tasha sighed audibly, her tone turning less combative and much softer.

"Look Data, I know when I turn someone on. I know when a guy wants me and to be blunt about all of this, you were fighting against that very battle no more than four hours ago."

Still, he remained silent, refusing to meet her gaze.

She scoffed at his evasive tactic, looking him up and down in total disapproval.

"Who's the walking contradiction now?"

And then, his eyes pierced hers. They were dark and elusive – the light of the fire doing nothing to disguise the agony that was about to come. She could read the message held within his eyes loud and clear and she began to mentally kick herself for pushing him too far.

"You know I cannot love you."

The flat statement killed any illusions she might have still possessed of him possibly caring for her, and yet, he looked as if he had regretted every word of the confession. As if the emotional blow he had just delivered, pricked him more than it did her.

She ignored his despondency, no longer disillusioned.

"I know…I don't want you too!" She defensively shot back.

He studied her for what seemed like an eternity, and then slowly averted his eyes back to the fire, almost as if he could no longer stand the temptation of beholding her.

"I am emotionally unable to maintain a successful relationship. My abilities in the matter are limited. Although, I can perform the acts required of me, such as comfort, desire, and yes, even love. They are all nothing more than an imitation, a program summoned to guide me in my endeavor to aspire beyond my limitations." He shook his head dejectedly, refusing to look at her. "I am sorry to say that this is the _real_ me – a technological variation of subroutines and internal processors."

And then, his eyes met hers, almost pleadingly.

"Why can you not accept this?"

Tasha opened her mouth to respond, but the answer she wanted, was displaced by her inner longings.

"You need to come back to bed" Data raised his eyebrows toward the demand. "…What if your temperature drops again? I don't want your body to have to endure another repeat session of what happened earlier."

His answer was stern and indifferent, clearly displeased by her deflection.

"You need to get dressed." Data quipped back.

She stared at him open-mouthed, and he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Do not worry, I ran an internal diagnostic earlier; I assure you, I am in no danger" He snorted a small laugh. "…The artificiality of my body is more durable than your organic one."

To some, his answer would have sounded vain, but she knew him all too well.

She watched painfully, as her heart suddenly felt as if a massive stone had been placed on top of it, causing the trepid sinking feeling in her chest. He seemed distant once again, his positronic thoughts taking him somewhere else, far away from Delta Vega and even further from her.

The atmosphere of the cave was overwhelmingly tense, with a hovering, arduous lull about it – An oppressive inconvenience that seemed to always arrive whenever the android was in her presence.

The fire crackled and the wind howled restlessly outside as the snow continued to fall, but Tasha was completely lost to the nuisance of it all, as her senses were solely focused upon the man in front of her.

"I do accept you for who you are." She softly revealed.

Immediately, he lifted his head in her direction, his eyes drawn back to her – And if it was even possible, they held a look of shock about them… or was it doubt?

"You will have to forgive me if I seem to be under a different impression."

Okay, this was it – The reckoning she had been avoiding for the past six months now. She didn't want to lose him, in fact, she wasn't even sure if she wanted to push him away anymore.

It was frustrating to witness how clueless he could be, especially toward the things he was actually capable of. He was in dire need of another opinion, one that was delivered by someone on the outside looking in.

Yes, he was a brilliant spectrum of programs, subroutines and human emulation. A few of which she was certain he had enacted in order to deal with her more successfully, especially since they beamed down to the planet. In fact, she would venture to say that he had almost become dependent upon them.

"Data, do you want me?"

His eyes widened at the prospect and then immediately narrowed at her, as if suspecting himself as the subject of some test.

"I must advise that to any other logical person, an opportunity to initiate a relationship with such a passive individual would seem illogical for both parties, even reckless."

"It's a simple yes or no question, Data? Do you want me or not?"

He seemed to misunderstand.

"I believe your desire to copulate would be ill-advised. There is a thirty-three percent chance that your previous…" The android paused, searching for the right word. "Contrition will be repeated."

"I don't want statistics and figures, Data. I don't want to hear about the pros and cons of what is morally right for me. I want to know what you desire, Data, and I'm not just talking about sex either?"

His brows arched in surprise, as if completely taken aback by the fact that someone would even want to know such an intimate detail about him.

"I do not have a desire as such."

Tasha looked down, hoping he didn't pick up on the disappointment that now filled her eyes. "I get it… You mean you're not attracted to me."

Data was mesmerized by her forlorn expression.

"I find your appearance to be esthetically pleasing, as do an alarming number of other men onboard the _Enterprise._"

She gave a weak smile. "But you don't _feel _anything at all when you say that, do you?"

The android frowned, his facial expression mimicking the turmoil waging inside Tasha's heart perfectly.

"I am sorry…I do not _feel_ anything."

Tasha vehemently protested as her frustrations began mounting again.

"But I believe that you do." She argued. "In the entrance examination for Starfleet Academy one of the requirements is that one has to be deemed sentient, not only sapient, but sentient, Data. Self-aware. That implies feelings, does it not?"

"That would appear to be a plausible assessment, but you consistently forget that I was not programmed with emotions."

Tasha rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to stand up and shake him senseless, viewing the temptation as a bad idea considering she was still naked.

"Data come on. Computers and robots are not admitted into the Academy, but you were. Therefore, Starfleet had to recognize some type of emotional awareness about you to even consider your entry."

Silence filled the room as what Data would consider an awkward moment passing, so she tried another tactic.

"Okay, why did you join Starfleet…What drove you to do so?" She held up a warning finger. "And don't say it was because they rescued you."

"But it was because of that rescue that I desired –" Immediately he paused in mid-sentence, his mouth slightly agape, as his eyes alighted from the discovery. "…Fascinating." He whispered.

Tasha couldn't stop the smile that was blatantly plastered all over her face.

"Alright, now let me ask you again." She inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. "Do you desire me?"

His eyes began scanning from side to side, processing her question. After a few seconds passed, he abruptly stood up and walked toward the cavern entrance, casually leaning against the frozen wall as he stared out into the night.

Irritated, Tasha closed her eyes as she slapped her hand against her forehead, falling back against the make-shift bed, groaning loudly.

Data remained silent, impervious to her annoyance.

She wasn't sure how much time had lapsed between them when he finally spoke, maybe five minutes, possibly ten, however long she wasn't sure and to be honest, she really didn't care.

She cautiously brought her hand down, opening her eyes to peer at the ceiling. She could tell that he had turned his face toward her by the direction of his voice.

"I do not know how to answer."

She sighed, clearly defeated. "Why did you sleep with me, Data?"

"Because I desired too."

For a moment, she laid there stunned by his honesty. She remained motionless, even though she could clearly hear him approaching her.

His face finally came into view, pausing beside her as he peered down at her. Their eyes held each other, as he slowly knelt down beside her. She quickly grabbed hold of the blanket about her chest before she shifted her body to face him, cautiously rising up as she supported her weight upon her right elbow.

She watched transfixed, as his eyes ran up and down the entire length of her body, only to still her heart with the intensity of his gaze.

"Now ask me if I desire to repeat the act with you?"

Tasha arched an eyebrow, with a wicked grin forming at the corners of her mouth.

"Do you?"

He reached out, gingerly running his index finger down the length of her jawbone, admiring the contours of her face, the hollow of her neck, the slight cleavage being revealed by her breasts.

His eyes sought hers again, as he released what appeared to be a mechanical, labored breath. Her lips involuntarily parted and she suddenly found it impossible to breathe, as he began closing the distance between them.

His eyes dropped to her lips, giving away his intention. Softly, his lips grazed hers, barely touching them. He pulled back slightly, watching...waiting.

Instantly, Tasha let go of the blanket as she placed her hand around his neck, pulling him to her in a desperate attempt to relieve the ache inside her chest. His lips crushed into hers with just as much intensity, their tongues intertwining, only to briefly stop, as he seductively pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth.

The intoxicating gesture driving her crazy.

"I want you!"

The long awaited declaration was all she could muster against his lips, as he began pushing her back against the make-shift bed.

Data's lips left hers, only to make their way down her cheekbone, to her neck, where he successfully extracted a loud moan from her lips, as he sucked the soft patch of skin that lied within the apex of her neck and her collarbone.

She wasn't sure how he did it, but he managed to toss her covers off to the side of her, as he proficiently maneuvered his body between her legs. She could easily feel his hardness pressing against the area she desperately wanted him most.

Tasha moaned again, as he pushed himself into her, the motion only adding to the burning ache of not having him inside her yet.

In her blind desire, she reached down, pulling his face eye level with hers, both panting with the need to appease their hunger.

"Show me how much you desire me."

Data stared at her for a moment, and then merely nodded as his lips fiercely descended back upon hers.

_**-x-x-x-x-**_

_** **** PLEASE READ**** Author's Notes: Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you are enjoying the story. Also, I'm not sure if I'm going to write an "M" rated scene between these two. It depends really on if you guys leave enough reviews about whether you want me to go there or not. I'm not sure if I want to do so or not.**_


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